Flanders / Belgium: identity and national coexistence, and the representation of the interests of the Belgian federation vis-à-vis the European institutions

The Belgian federation has a complex structure, based on so-called ‘Communities’ and ‘Regions’. Since 1993, Belgium has become a federal state in which the regions are compelled by the constitution to manage their own external relations. This contribution also explains how the Belgian governments organize themselves and their respective interests vis-à-vis the European institutions. In this regard, we will especially zoom into the foreign policy activities of the Flemish government.