The Belgian Federal Council for Sustainable Development is an advisory body that advises the Belgian federal authorities about the federal policy on sustainable development. The acronym FRDO-CFDD comes from the Dutch Federale Raad voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling and the French Conseil Fédéral du Développement Durable.

The Council gives particular attention to the implementation of international commitments of Belgium, such as Agenda 21, the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity. These obligations result from UNCED, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, organised in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

The FRDO-CFDD was set up in 1997, in succession to the National Council for Sustainable Development which functioned as from 1993. The FRDO-CFDD was established by the law of May 5, 1997, regulating the co-ordination of the federal policy on sustainable development. The FRDO-CFDD advises the federal authorities about that policy, at the federal government's and parliament's request, as well as on its own initiative.

In addition to its advisory duties the FRDO-CFDD acts as a forum to encourage the sustainable development debate, for instance by means of organizing symposia. Experts in the area, representatives of government and civil society, and a wider public have the opportunity to explain their point of view and to dialogue. The Council makes use of the results when formulating advices.

The Council was also given the task of sensitizing organizations and citizens on the subject of sustainable development.

The members of the FRDO-CFDD represent various social organizations: environmental organizations, development organizations, consumers' unions, trade unions, employers' federations, energy producers and the world of science. Federal and regional government representatives and delegates of environmental and socio-economic advisory bodies only have an advisory vote in the meetings.

Eight working groups prepare the FRDO-CFDD advices and forum activities. The groups are: Biological diversity and forests, Energy and climate, Federal plan, Genetically modified organisms, International relations, Product standards, Scientific research sustainable development and Socio-economic dimension of sustainable development.

The FRDO-CFDD secretariat welcomes your questions, comments and suggestions. Send an e-mail to mail@frdo-cfdd.be. The contact page shows you the other ways to reach the secretariat.