Vested interest in environmental backtrack?

The Flemish regional government has criticized Dutch authorities for delaying maintenance work on the Scheldt estuary, which was the subject of a 2005 cooperation agreement, reports Le Soir. The Dutch insist that they have been forced to postpone the extraction of sand and mud, which was due to take place between 2009 and 2014, by a court judgement ruling in favour of environmentalist groups opposed to dredging. It is on this basis that the order to commence work on the project has been canceled — much to the displeasure of the Flemings. The managers of the port of Antwerp are now worried that the facility will lose its status as Europe's second ranked port after Rotterdam, if the work does not go ahead quickly, adds the Belgian daily.

"According to officials, the non-implementation of the plan to dredge the Dutch stretch of the river will cost port authorities €70 million a year — and deprive Flanders of an estimated €1 to €1.3 billion. Every day of delay is resulting in significant losses in revenue to the region, and in the meantime, Antwerp's troubles are boosting business in the Dutch port of Rotterdam. Not surprisingly, some Flemings are outspoken in their criticism of the deadlock, which they suspect may have been caused by lobbying on behalf of the rival port."