Agricultural Training 2027: 3.7 million euros in call for projects

The Flemish Minister for Environment and Agriculture, Jo Brouns, has launched a call for projects with a budget of 3,708,000 euros to subsidize training plans implemented in 2027. The ministerial decree of October 6, 2026, was published in the Belgian Official Gazette on October 9, 2026 (2nd edition), page 54353, under reference [C − 2026/007428]. Training plans must be submitted via the e-loket no later than October 13, 2026.

An already established legal framework

The decree is based on the decree of June 28, 2013, regarding agricultural and fisheries policy (Articles 7, 12, and 15) and the Flemish Government decree of October 6, 2023, regarding the granting of aid for knowledge exchange and information dissemination in the agricultural sector (Articles 52, 53, and 54), as amended by the decree of April 3, 2026.

The steps of the procedure are as follows:

• The Finance Inspection issued its opinion on August 19, 2026.
• A request for an opinion was submitted to the Council of State on September 8, 2026.
• The Council of State decided on September 9, 2026, not to issue an opinion and to remove the file from the docket.
• The decree enters into force on the day of its signature, namely October 6, 2026.

Two envelopes: general agriculture and beekeeping

The total budget of the call is divided between two distinct envelopes:

• 3,500,000 euros for agricultural training plans intended for general training centers;
• 208,000 euros for beekeeping training plans.

Training activities must take place between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027. A general training center submitting an agricultural training plan cannot simultaneously submit a beekeeping training plan.

Required content and eligible themes

Each training plan must include the center’s contact details (name, address, telephone, email, company number, and account number) as well as a description of its content: types of training, themes covered, number, duration, schedule and topics of activities, learning objectives, cooperation with other registered centers, teachers and partners, target groups, and scope. Submission is made via the e-loket, using the form provided by the competent entity.

Agricultural plans may focus on three themes: the promotion of a smart, resilient, and diversified agricultural sector ensuring food security; the intensification of environmental protection and climate action; the strengthening of the socio-economic fabric of rural areas. Beekeeping plans cover six themes: the arrival of new beekeepers, bee health, beekeeping equipment, beekeeping techniques, beekeeping products, and the importance of ecosystems and landscape management.

Selection: weightings and 60% threshold

Selection criteria are weighted differently depending on the type of proposal:

• Starter courses and internships: quality of the plan and budget 20%, cooperation 10%, implementation history 70%.
• Training, basic training for the P2 phytolicence, complementary training and refresher courses: relevance 15%, scope 15%, quality 10%, innovative nature 10%, cooperation 10%, history 40%.
• Learner networks around agricultural themes: relevance 30%, scope 20%, quality 30%, innovative nature 20%.

Only plans achieving a minimum score of 60% based on these criteria are eligible for the grant. Plans are admissible if they satisfy the conditions of Article 34, paragraph 2, of the ministerial decree of October 31, 2023, and if they are submitted via the official form and the e-loket.

For registered training centers and beekeeping organizations, the schedule is tight: the envelope of 3,708,000 euros for the 2027 financial year is open, but applications must be submitted in the days following publication, specifically until October 13, 2026. After this deadline, no plan can be considered for the 2027 training year.

Source: Belgian Official Gazette of October 9, 2026 (2nd edition), ministerial decree of October 6, 2026, reference [C − 2026/007428], p. 54353.