[Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology: tasks and assignments 1996. Role in present-day federal Belgian future perspectives].

In most European countries there are research institutes with responsibilities similar to those of the I.H.E. in Belgium. In English they are generally called "National Institute of Public Health". However, these Institutes are quite different from one country to another, because they are the result of general political factors as well as of the specific epidemiological context of each country. The evolution of the I.H.E., which for decades had research activities which are now the responsibility of three different political levels (Federal/Regions/Communities), has been strongly influenced by the profound institutional reforms which took place in Belgium since 1970. The accompanying difficulties and changes are described. More details are given concerning the specific tasks and responsibilities of the institute, its structure, perspectives for its future and the planned merging with the Pasteur Institute.