Belgium is a federal state

Six state reforms  (1970, 1980, 1988-89, 1993, 2001 and 2014) have transformed unitary Belgium into a federal state consisting of two types of federated states: Communities and Regions. There are three Communities: the Flemish Community (including the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of the Brussels-Capital region), the French Community (including the French-speaking inhabitants of the Brussels-Capital region) and the German-speaking Community. Besides there are three Regions: the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region.

The Belgian state consists of two different kinds of federated entities, regions and communities, whose territories partially overlap but with each entity responsible for different matters.

Regions are competent for matters such as economy, employment, infrastructure, spatial planning and environment. Communities are in charge of any matter relating to language, culture, education and care (hospital infrastructure included).

The Federal State retains important competences such as the judicial system, the army, the federal police, social security (the exception being child allowances), public debt, monetary policy, prices and incomes policy, protection of savings, nuclear energy, state-owned companies (such as Belgian Railways, the Post Office), the federal scientific and cultural institutions. Furthermore, the Federal State is responsible for the obligations of Belgium and its federated entities towards the European Union or NATO.

The Belgian federated states vote standards that are on an equal footing with laws. Consequently, there is no hierarchy between the standards adopted by the federated state parliaments and the standards adopted by the federal parliament. In this respect, Belgium is the opposite of Germany where the rule ‘Bundesrecht bricht Landesrecht’ applies.

Historical outline of the federalisation of Belgium | Belgium.be

Flanders Competence distribution:

The Flemish authorities exert a huge influence over the life of every Flemish citizen and are responsible for shaping Flanders.

An overview of the jurisdiction of the Flemish Government: