Flanders and France have signed an agreement on how any future flooding should be dealt with in De Moeren, an area that spans the border between Veurne (West Flanders and Dunkirk (Nord). The Flemish prime Minister Matthias Diependaele (nationalist) and the French minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot signed the agreement in the northern French city of Lille on Monday.
Flanders and France sign cooperation agreement to deal with future flooding in border area between Veurne and Dunkirk
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De Moeren is a vast area situated between the West Flemish town of Veurne in Flanders and Dunkirk in France. It lies about four metres below sea level and was drained in the 17th century. The area often suffers flooding, as was the case in November 2023 and in the spring of last year. When this happened the Flanders and France already cooperated. However, this was on an ad hoc basis without a legal framework. The new agreement provides this.
At the Speievaart in Veurne, there is an emergency pumping station, which can pump water from the Binnen Moeren to the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk canal. Meanwhile, In Dunkirk there is a slide structure, which allows additional discharge into the Canal outlet.
The new agreement sets out how this and other infrastructure will be managed and maintained. In the event of an emergency measures listed in the agreement will automatically take effect.