A better capital for the EU

Obvious :

- A more attractive European Quarter: Piazza Schuman, Plan urbain Loi,...- A more attractive city centre: car-free streets, squares, etc.- Better train connections (RER to airport, etc.)- Congress & Meetings infrastructure- English as third official language

Less obvious :

- Brussels enlarged ?- Brussels de-ghettoized ?- Open European Schools ?- A more insclusive political community ?- A more inclusive Brussels identity ?

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Patrick Deboosere (VUB) 2010

Brussels too small ?

A much larger metropolis

Brussels enlarged ?

1. Facilities 2. BHV3. Hinterland

Brussels ghettoized ?

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Brussels ghettoized ?

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Source: Jan Hertogen. Graph: Bernard Masuy

By province 2008

2005

Source: Thierry Eggerickx

Brussels de-ghettolized ?

Proportion of EU15 residents 2003(in red the +1 existing European Schools

in mauve the 4th permanent one)

Open European schools

• No more bunker schools

• Development of jointly funded plurilingual Type II primary schools

• The social challenge of trilingualism (Luxembourg, Barcelona, Brussels)

Brussels: linguistic competence by age 2006

Percentage of residents of the various age groups who declare knowing language L wel or very well Source: Database Rudi Janssens, VUB. Graph : Jonathan Van Parys, FUSL.

A more inclusive political community

• Universal suffrage for regional elections• Abolition of double electoral college for the regional

elections• Extinction of “ethnic” parties

A more inclusive Brussels identity

• Zinneke Parade (from 2000)• We exist (December 06)• Etats Généraux de Bruxelles

(Spring 2009)• Brussels Summer School (1-

2/9/2010)• www.aula-magna.eu