Recognition as drilling company

For certain drilling, that recognition is not mandatory: drilling performed in the context of the Soil Decree and the implementation decisions for this, foundation drilling, hand drilling and horizontal drilling, to the extent that they do not require a permit.

The Flanders Environment Agency’s lists recognised drilling companies (in Dutch)(opens in new window)on it’s website.

To be recognised as a drilling company, the organisation must fulfil:

• general recognition conditions(opens in new window) that apply to all recognitions relation to the environment
  • in the 3 years that precede the application for the Flemish recognition certificate, the applicant has not been convicted of a criminal offence in a member state of the European Economic Area, for infringements of the environmental legislation concerning the use of the recognition.
  • in the 2 years that precede the application for the Flemish recognition certificate, no recognition with the same object was revoked due to infringement of the obligations associated with that recognition.
• special recognition conditions:
  • having at least 3 years’ practical experience in performing drilling related to the recognition as drilling company, acquired during the 5 years preceding the application for recognition
  • successfully completed a training course as stated in annex 16 of the VLAREL(opens in new window) within the 5 years prior to the recognition application.

Validity period and obligations

The recognition is valid for an indefinite period. As a recognised drilling company, you must meet the following obligations to retain your recognition:

• each drilling appliance is operated by, or its operation is under the supervision of, an overseer who has at least 3 years’ practical experience with performing the work in the context of the recognition
  • or each drilling appliance is operated by an employee holding a certificate of general training
• the staff follow a training course every 5 years
• the staff must have reliable and suitable tools
• only perform work around establishments if the necessary permit or formal record is available, report the works prior to their commencement via the drilling e-DOV reporting centre (in Dutch)(opens in new window) and strictly adhere to the applicable environmental conditions
• maintain an inventory of the supervisors of all work that has been performed in the past 5 years, each with the unique code received from the Database of Subsoil Flanders Service, a drilling report and the date of the permit or official record or otherwise a statement that the work related to a non-allocated installation
• report an inventory of the work performed at least every 2 months via the e-DOV reporting centre (in Dutch)(opens in new window).

Request your recognition from the Flemish administration.

• Download the application form (in Dutch)(opens in new window) from the Flanders Environment Agency website and fill it in.
• Transfer the one-off fee to Account No. BE40 3751 1110 2263 stating ‘VMM-A-BB + the name of your company’.
• Submit your application by registered letter to Vlaamse milieumaatschappij, Koning Albert II-laan 20 bus 16, 1000 Brussel, to the attention of afdeling Operationeel Waterbeheer.

The competent unit handles your application and consults a number of bodies for an opinion. If necessary, additional info will be collected and a hearing organised. The leading official of Flanders Environment Agency reaches a decision within 90 days, starting from the day after the submission of the complete application file.

You must pay the one-off fee for the application for recognition as a drilling company.

• For 2023, the one-off fee is 618 euros.
• For each additional discipline the one-off fee in 2023 is 170 euros.

As a recognised drilling company, you must pay the annual fee (in Dutch) for the supervision of the recognition. You will receive an invoice for this by post at the start of the calendar year in your name at your official address.

• For 2023 the annual fee amounts to EUR 136.
• For each additional discipline the annual fee in 2023 amounts to 34 euros.
• These sums are index-adjusted every year.

Flemish regulation on environmental recognitions (VLAREL).