Belgium not ruling out legal action against French offshore wind farm

Belgium remains opposed to France's plans to build a wind farm off the coast of Dunkirk, the North Sea minister said on Monday. Vincent Van Quickenborne has not ruled out legal action against the plans, he said at the North Sea Summit in Ostend.

As nine countries meet at the summit to discuss increased cooperation to speed up the construction of offshore wind farms, Van Quickenborne has repeated his opposition to French plans to build a wind farm off the French coast and near the Belgian border.

Belgium has already objected to the plans before the French Council of State. The park is set to be built on two historic shipping routes, which would harm Belgian interests. "Moving the park a little would solve all the problems," Van Quickenborne said.

Talks between Belgium and France on the plans are still ongoing, he said, but Belgium is considering taking the case to the European Court of Justice if France does not back down. Van Quickenborne said, however, that he still favoured a "diplomatic solution".

^{© BELGA PHOTO KURT DESPLENTER}