During the early decades of its existence, the main task of the Subcommission for Paleogene and Neogene Stratigraphy was to develop a lithostratigraphic framework for the Cenozoic of Belgium. At that time, no detailed lithostratigraphic scale existed, yet it was essential for the revision of Belgium’s geological maps. However, it is logical that a definitive lithostratigraphic scale could only be established once the geological mapping had been completed. Today, the subcommission’s focus is on refining and stabilizing this scale and to incorporate any new stratigraphic insights from geological research into the stratigraphic scale if necessary. A robust lithostratigraphic framework is also crucial for ongoing stratigraphic research in areas such as biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, and others.
The Subcommission for Paleogene and Neogene Stratigraphy is responsible for all Belgian stratigraphic units deposited during the Paleogene and Neogene periods, formerly known as the “Tertiary.” These periods encompass all clayey to sandy stratigraphic units formed in or near the North Sea Basin. By the beginning of the Quaternary, the coastal area had shifted northward toward the Belgium-Netherlands border, and for most of the Quaternary, continental conditions dominated.
