Actors and distribution of competences

The implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity is carried out by the federal government, the regions, the communities and the local authorities (provinces and municipalities).

The regions are in charge of territorial matters. They have therefore the greatest amount of responsibilities on biodiversity-related issues: nature conservation, forest management, agriculture, exploitation of natural resources, land use and spatial planning, hunting, fisheries, etc. They are also in charge of tourism, which is a competence that has been delegated to them by the communities.

The federal government is more specifically involved in the international dimension, the external relations and in matters related to the North Sea. It is the federal government that undertakes the follow-up of trade in threatened species and that takes measures relating to the trade of exotic species.

The communities take care of issues linked to culture, research, education and public awareness. The regions and the federal government can also raise public awareness in their own fields of competence.

The provinces and the municipalities play an important role at the local level, in accordance with regional policy.

The coherence of actions at national level is ensured by a coordination mechanism composed of representatives from the federal government, the regions and the communities. It is called the Coordinating Committee for International Environment Policy (CCIEP).