The provinces

Since the fourth State reform, there have been ten provinces.

Indeed, in the fourth State reform, the province of Brabant was abolished and replaced by two new provinces: Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant.

The part in the Walloon Region became the province of Walloon Brabant, the part in the Flemish Region became Flemish Brabant.

The territory of the Brussels-Capital Region remains and falls outside the scope of the division of the country into provinces. The powers over community affairs that belonged in that region to the Provincial Council and the Permanent Deputation of the old province of Brabant were exercised from then on by the Flemish Community Commission, the French Community Commission and the Joint Community Commission.

The powers over regional or federal affairs that belonged in that region to the Provincial Council and the Permanent Deputation of the old province of Brabant, are exercised by the Brussels-Capital Region.

This division has been a reality since 1 January 1995. Since that date, Brussels has not been subject to provincial authority.

The fifth state reform (the so-called Lambermont agreement) transferred many powers to the Regions. They are now directly responsible for the implementation, however, the federal legislation continues to exist as long as the Regions have not adopted their own decrees in this respect.

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