Brownfield Redevelopment in the European Union

Abstract

Brownfields not only occur in the United States, but in every industrialized country and region. The European Union is currently confronting the challenge of regulating these sites. This Article offers a comparative survey of different legal approaches within both the European Union and the United States toward dealing with brownfields. As a case study, it outlines important developments in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is clear that more and more Member States are searching for different measures to deal with soil remediation in general, and brownfields in particular. However, the shortage of knowledge and information regarding brownfield development creates myraid difficulties with the start-up and realization of potential brownfield projects. Additionally, and with regard to funding schemes, no consideration is made of the sustainability of the methods used to redevelop these sites.