Dr. Bob Rumes is an aquatic ecologist by training and has been active in Belgian marine environmental policy since 2005. He worked on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the offshore wind farms licensed in the Belgian Part of the North Sea (BPNS) as well as on the EIA for the Belgian Offshore Grid (BOG) and the interconnector project between Belgium and England (ELIA-NEMO). He has been coordinating these EIA’s since 2010. He also contributed to the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in Belgium. His work has provided him with an excellent knowledge of the relevant national and European legislation. Through frequent stakeholder engagement, an integrated monitoring programme and coordination with neighbouring member states, he is well aware of the (environment-related) risks, constraints and opportunities associated with the development of large-scale offshore industrial and construction projects in the Southern North Sea.