Complaints

In our role as scientific institution of the Government of Flanders’ Agriculture and Fisheries Policy Area, we try to inform you as accurately as possible about our activities. Should you have a complaint about your experience with ILVO, you may share this with Catherine Blancquaert. Your complaint will be handled in a confidential manner

Complaints about ILVO may be submitted in relation to the following:

Working in accordance with the law:
The correct application of the regulations in the broad sense of the word is the basic norm of a social law state. Anything illegal is thus obviously inappropriate.
Sufficient justification:
The Government efficiently clarifies and justifies its decisions and conduct and communicates the reasons upon which these are based.
Equality and neutrality:
All similar situations are handled in a similar and neutral way. A variation of this principle is a foundation of non-discrimination.
Legal protection and justified trust:
The Government guarantees clarity and security in terms of the applicable legal norms. Citizens must be able to access unambiguous explanations of their rights and responsibilities. Legal rules must therefore be non-retroactive.
Reasonableness and proportionality:
When weighing different choices, the Government gives sufficient weight to the needs of the citizens in question. The Government limits the negative effects of a decision for a citizen as much as possible. The chosen sanction must be appropriate to the mistake made by the citizen.
Correct treatment:
The government worker, as a representative of the Government, behaves in every contact with citizens in a polite, correct, and helpful manner.
Active service provision:
The Government does more than simply answer questions posed. It also provides relevant information and help to the citizen, or refers the citizen to appropriate sources. The Government takes initiative to inform the citizen of any changes in his or her dossier.
Effective correspondence:
The way that the Government handles citizens’ letters, requests, and questions is important to those citizens. If they contact a government agency, they can expect to receive a confirmation of receipt if their question cannot be answered quickly. The name and the contact information of the government employee are consistently and clearly noted in written correspondence.
Easy accessibilty:
The government agencies must be easily acessible, both via telephone and in person. This is not limited to an easily accessible location and easy access to the buildings, but also sufficiently long opening hours, at times that are geared toward the public.
Effective communication of general information:
The government agency ensures that all non-specific information campaigns are understandable, correct and complete, and that this communication effectively reaches the target group.
Good implementation en administrative correctness:
A good government agency works in a meticulous fashion, responds with the goal of finding a solution, and resolves mistakes as soon as possible. The agency in question is responsible for quality control.
Redelijke behandeltermijn:
De overheid moet handelen binnen de opgelegde of binnen een redelijke termijn.
Efficient coordination:
The government agency ensures efficient collaboration, coordination and communication with other government agencies and private organisations. This is also true for separate sections within the agencies themselves.
Respect for the privacy of the citizen:
In the course of their work, government workers respect the privacy of the citizen.

Legal requirements for submitting a complaint about ILVO

When submitting a complaint in relation to ILVO, you must follow the legal requirements listed in the ‘Klachtendecreet van 1 juni 2001 houdende toekenning van een klachtenrecht ten aanzien van bestuursinstellingen (pdf - in Dutch)’. This decree describes the legal conditions and requirements for submitting a complaint about a government institution, in this case ILVO. Please familiarise yourself with this decree before submitting your complaint.

Legal requirements for submitting a complaint to the Flemish Ombudsman

If you are not satisfied with the resolution of a specific complaint, you may also submit this complaint to the Flemish Ombudsman. Before you submit your complaint to the Flemish Ombudsman, you must first direct your complaint to the ILVO contact person, Catherine Blancquaert.

The Flemish Ombudsman then takes a meditation role, with the intention of resolving the standpoints of the government agency, in this case ILVO, and the person submitting the complaint. More information about the Ombudsman can be found in the ‘Ombudsdecreet van 7 juli 1998 (in Dutch)’. The most important section in relation to submitting a complaint to the ombudsman is Chapter III of the decree, ‘Het onderzoek van de klachten en meldingen’ (in Dutch). Further information can be found on the website of the Flemish Ombuds Service (in Dutch).