06/02/2007
The Belgian government has decided to create a fund to compensate occupational and environmental victims of asbestos-related diseases. The fund was officially created after a government Act was published in the Belgian Official Journal on 27 December 2006. The Act will come into force on 1 April 2007, once the implementation regulations have been approved by a decree.

The government intends to provide 10 million euros annually to compensate asbestos victims suffering from asbestosis, pleural diseases, lung cancer and the deadly mesothelioma among other diseases.

The agreement was criticized by the Greens. Their own proposal had been backed by Parliament and according to them the text adopted by the Belgian government does not take into account any complaint by victims entitled to compensation. In addition, this fund is only intended for living victims; relatives of a deceased is not entitled to compensation for moral damages.

In Belgium, asbestos is expected to cause the death of approximately 20,000 persons in the coming years.