Belgium has appealed to the European Commission against the installation of wind turbines off Dunkirk.
The Belgian government regrets the too close proximity of the park to the border of its territorial waters.
A similar scenario, but reversed, opposed French residents to the installation of wind turbines on the Belgian border.
Do as I say, not as I do.
The offshore wind farm project off Dunkirk continues to see the number of its detractors increase.
In addition to the French collectives resolutely against it, it is an entire country, Belgium, which has formalized its opposition to this project in a complaint filed with the European Commission.
A few years ago, this same country had taken less seriously the discontent of French people who denounced the disturbances caused by Belgian wind turbines installed right on the border.
"We found that there was not enough will on the French side to take into account the rights of the inhabitants of the Belgian coast, the port of Ostend and other stakeholders", writes the Belgian government in its complaint to the European Commission.
For the Belgian Minister for the North Sea, Vincent Van Quickenborne, this procedure “is necessary to safeguard our rights”, he declared to the Belga agency.
Well below the minimum imposed by French regulations
To put it simply, Belgium criticizes the too close proximity of the future park to the border of its territorial waters.
According to our neighbours, the installation of 46 wind turbines that can measure up to 300 m in height is particularly “worrying” for the air traffic generated by the military base of Koksijde.
It's a bit the same scenario, but reversed, that arose in 2013, when two huge wind turbines were erected in Menin, Belgium, a few meters from homes in the French border town of Halluin.
On the Belgian side, the wind turbines do not bother anyone since they are installed in an industrial area.
On the other hand, it is indeed dwellings that are in the front line on the French side.
As the crow flies, the closest Halluin houses are only 318 m and 356 m from the masts (compared to 10 km for the offshore park project).
That is between 100 and 200 m less than what is imposed by French regulations.
By means of a petition, the residents had seized the European Commission which had promised to investigate.
Except that to this day, the windmills of discord are still up and running.
Planet
Saint-Nazaire: That's it, France's first offshore wind turbine is installed
Planet
Wind farm in the bay of Saint-Brieuc: The administrative court rejects the fishermen's request
World
Belgium
Wind turbine
European Commission
Complaint
Energetic transition