Flemish government commits 1.56bn euros to power grid and finalises VRT agreement

At its final cabinet meeting before the summer recess on Friday evening, the Flemish government approved several significant policy decisions. These include a 1.56 billion euro investment in the electricity network operator Fluvius, extra funding for the Centre for Origins Research and a new management agreement for the public broadcaster VRT.

The investment in Fluvius will be channelled through ParticipatieMaatschappij Vlaanderen (PMV), the Flemish government’s investment arm. In a joint statement, minister president Matthias Diependaele and deputy ministers Melissa Depraetere, Hilde Crevits and Ben Weyts said the decision aimed to maintain public ownership of vital infrastructure.

Earlier discussions at Fluvius had considered bringing in private capital, but this approach was rejected by the Flemish government. "Fluvius will remain in Flemish hands," the joint statement said.

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Energy minister Depraetere said they "won't repeat the mistakes of the past, such as with Engie. The French multinational is now making enormous profits while Flemish citizens are paying extortionate energy bills. Control over our grid must remain public so that we can strengthen our infrastructure and protect citizens’ purchasing power.”

"Knowing who you are and where you come from is a profound human need and a fundamental right"

The cabinet also granted additional resources to the Afstammingscentrum, a government-established organisation that assists adoptees and donor-conceived individuals in tracing their biological roots.

Welfare minister Caroline Gennez, who requested the increase, emphasised the importance of the centre’s work: "Knowing who you are and where you come from is a profound human need and a fundamental right." The centre has been operational since 2019.

In the media sector, the government has reached an agreement on the new five-year management contract for VRT, the Flemish public broadcaster. Media minister Cieltje Van Achter confirmed the deal, but said that further details would be withheld pending a review by the VRT board of directors.

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The agreement will define the broadcaster’s remit and funding from 2026. One of the main points of contention during the negotiations was the cap on advertising revenue.

While the VRT receives annual government subsidies, it is also permitted to generate a limited amount of income from advertising, which is capped. There were internal disagreements within the coalition regarding the future of this cap. The final outcome will not be clear until the VRT board approves the agreement.

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