Belgium has launched its first Interfederal Action Plan Against Racism, bringing the federal government, regions and communities together under a coordinated framework to tackle racism and discrimination.

The plan was officially launched on September 7, 2026, according to Belgium’s Federal Public Service Justice. The initiative is designed to bring greater coordination to policies that previously operated across different levels of government.

The Belgian government said the new framework responds to the need for a more unified approach to discrimination. While Belgium already had various regional programmes and initiatives, authorities said the fragmented nature of those measures could make the overall system difficult for citizens to understand.

The new action plan creates a common structure through which Belgium’s different governments can coordinate their efforts while continuing to operate within their respective areas of responsibility.

A key part of the initiative is the Interfederal Framework for Action Plans against Discrimination, which was approved in December 2025. The framework establishes a shared methodology for developing and implementing action plans across Belgium.

The government has already used this framework for a collective LGBTQI+ action plan launched earlier in 2026. The new anti-racism plan represents the next major step in applying the framework to another area of discrimination.

The launch also carries international significance. Belgian authorities linked the initiative to the country’s commitment made 25 years after the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, where countries discussed coordinated measures to combat racism and discrimination.

The new plan contains an interfederal component with common objectives and four cross-cutting measures. Additional contributions from Belgium’s different governments will be incorporated progressively, allowing the plan to evolve as new policy initiatives are developed.

Officials say this phased approach is intended to keep the framework flexible while strengthening cooperation between the different authorities responsible for implementing anti-discrimination measures.

The presidency of Belgium’s Interministerial Conference for Equal Opportunities is also changing hands. Federal Equal Opportunities Minister Rob Beenders is transferring the chairmanship to Flanders, a move intended to maintain continuity in cooperation between Belgium’s federal, regional and community governments.

The government described the initiative as a collective commitment rather than a centrally imposed programme. The objective is to create stronger cooperation between authorities while making anti-racism policies more coordinated and accessible.

Belgium’s official government news service identifies the action-plan announcement as one of the country’s latest government press releases, published on September 7.

The launch marks a significant step in Belgium’s efforts to create a nationwide and coordinated strategy against racism, with authorities now expected to progressively implement measures under the new framework.