77-757: The European External Action Service ( EEAS ) is the diplomatic service in charge of executing all international relations of the European Union . The EEAS is led by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP), who is also President of the Foreign Affairs Council and vice-president of the European Commission , and carries out the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), including
154-541: A public tender was criticised by the Belgian Audit Office. In 1963, the first wing (north-east) entered its active phase and was scheduled to be finished by the end of 1965. Concreting on that wing was finished in November 1964. Completion was pushed back from the start of 1966 by a year due to the rail companies failing to vault the nearby railway line that prevented access to the ground floor. The wing
231-412: A central core. It was built on piles located beneath each wing, supporting a 40-metre-high (130 ft) narrow ridge of concrete , which in turn supported steel beams forming the frame of the glass façade covering the prefabricated floors. The top, 13th, floor however was supported directly by the upper beams, suspended entirely by them making the lower level free standing except for the core. The design
308-610: A co-ordination between all the various EU foreign policy actors had been accomplished before. Throughout the first half of 2010 Ashton fought for agreement between the Council, Parliament and the Commission as to the future shape of the EEAS. The Commission wanted to retain as many of its existing competencies (trade, development, enlargement, representations and so forth) as possible while Parliament fought to gain as much oversight over
385-533: A different building on the roundabout. Renovation of the building became the responsibility of the Belgian State when it bought the Berlaymont from OSSOM in 1985, but put off any work due to budgetary constraints. The Commission complained and Belgium offered to sell the building to them at a reduced rate (the rent was already half), but as the political question of a permanent seat had not been decided,
462-468: A major shareholder). Berlaymont 2000 would pay €74.3 million to the Belgian State (also acting as a guarantor) and provide €160 million for the work, and in exchange it would gain a long lease on the building. Seeing it as a profitable investment, the following companies joined Berlaymont 2000: Citilease (affiliate of Citybank ), CGER and BACOB . They began to provide finance and the Commission's rent went up considerably to cover costs. The project
539-415: A press extension, but there have been a number of internal and landscape changes. Traffic flow has been improved, but underground parking has been reduced by 25% and surface parking has been almost entirely converted into a pedestrian mall that flows into the surrounding urban landscape. Security has been improved, and a lighting well provides natural light to the restaurant and multimedia centres. The helipad
616-505: A reduction of €2.48 million taking into account construction costs). The building was only fully occupied at the beginning of September of that year. However, from the start of the project, it was clear that the Commission would expand beyond the capacity of the Berlaymont. The Charlemagne building became available for the Commission. Furthermore, there was a building on the Rue Archimède / Archimedesstraat , this would allow
693-631: A separate section in the EU budget. The EEAS and the European Defence Agency (EDA) together form the Secretariat of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the structural integration pursued by 25 of the 27 national armed forces of the EU since 2017. The EEAS was first included in the original European Constitution , a single EU external relations department was seen as necessary to support
770-488: A staff of around 160 people and a budget of 10 to 20 million euro a year. It would have IT experts, scientists, tacticians and seconded intelligence operatives. It would send people into crisis zones to gather information and have 24/7 hotlines to EU delegations around the world. It would give the HR an immediate and powerful asset in an emergency without having to go via the council's Political and Security committee first. However it
847-408: A total of 2,700 civil servants. In total, renovation took 13 years, five years longer than it took to build. The December 1998 handover date was delayed five times and the bill to the Belgian State for the poor planning and disagreements amounted, by some estimates, to €824 million. On 18 May 2009, at approximately 11:00 GMT, the Berlaymont building was evacuated following a fire that started in
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#1732766094242924-427: A year. Prior to moving in, future EEAS staff were located in eight separate buildings at a cost of €25 million each year. The EEAS lease most of the building, with Commission departments filling the remaining space. The European Personnel Selection Office (Epso) was already occupying part of the building since July 2010. It was originally expected that the EEAS would take over the commission's Charlemagne building on
1001-443: Is composed of 12 police and military officers who gather news from the EU's overseas missions. The commission's Crisis Room is run by six commission officials who run a restricted website reporting breaking news on the 118 active conflicts in the world based on open sources and news from EU embassies. It uses scientific tools including statistical analysis and software which scans global TV broadcasts for names and key words. Details on
1078-682: Is difficult, as diplomacy tends to establish the concept of recognition upon an assumed sovereignty over geographical territory; the SMOM, in this case, receives diplomats at its headquarters in Rome, as all permanent missions to the SMOM are jointly accredited as permanent missions to the Holy See. In relation, many more non-state international organizations, such as the IFRC / ICRC , maintain permanent non-voting observer status to intergovernmental bodies such as
1155-624: Is drawn from the Commission and Council and from the member states' diplomatic services, seconded temporarily. The HR appoints his or her own staff directly. There were no national quotas for the initial 1,100 staff members and a minimum of 33% was to be from member states. The rest are permanent officials drawn from the European Commission and the Secretariat General of the Council of the European Union. This
1232-626: Is in part due to the need to establish a common diplomatic culture, which is also what has prompted calls for a European Diplomatic Academy . On 1 January 2011 the first staff were permanently transferred to the EEAS: 585 from the Commissions External Relations DG (which ceased to exist), 93 from the Commissions Development DG (the remainder of which merged into Development Cooperation DG), 436 from
1309-421: Is intended to convey a feeling of light and transparency. It includes decorative details such as sculptures and frescos to prevent it from becoming monotonous. The complex was initially designed to house 3,000 civil servants and 1,600 cars in a four-level underground car park under the whole complex. Foundations run 20 m (66 ft) deep. The number of lower levels (which link to the road tunnels and metro)
1386-667: Is laid down under article 13a-III of the Treaty of Lisbon ( TEU Article 27 ), and states the following: In fulfilling his mandate, the High Representative shall be assisted by a European External Action Service. This service shall work in cooperation with the diplomatic services of the Member States and shall comprise officials from relevant departments of the General Secretariat of the Council and of
1463-428: Is seen as particularly important due to the EEAS handling sensitive, as discussed above, amid espionage concerns from China and Russia. In September 2010, job adverts went out to EU institutions and national embassies for three junior posts at the EEAS. One for foreign deployment, one for a multi-lingual internet researcher and one to follow up on open and confidential information sources. The adverts expressed more about
1540-524: Is the EU ambassador (appointed by the High Representative). On 1 January 2010 all former European Commission delegations were renamed European Union delegations and were gradually upgraded into embassy-type missions that employ greater powers than the regular delegations. These upgraded delegations have taken on the role previously carried out by the national embassies of the member state holding
1617-417: Is unclear if the council's Clearing House (or Working Group CP 931 which deals with the EU's terrorism blacklist) would be merged into the EEAS along with these other bodies. Meanwhile, Ashton appointed a Polish security operative to head a working group designing the security architecture of the EEAS; particularly the physical security of the EEAS building and its communication network with its embassies. It
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#17327660942421694-526: The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The EEAS does not propose or implement policy in its own name, but prepares acts to be adopted by the High Representative , the European Commission or the Council . The EEAS is also in charge of EU diplomatic missions ( delegations ) and intelligence and crisis management structures. The EEAS, as well as the office of the HR, was initiated following
1771-605: The European Commission since its construction, and has become a symbol of the European presence in Brussels and a metonym for the EU's executive power. The Commission itself is spread over some 60-odd buildings, but the Berlaymont is the Commission's headquarters, being the seat of the President of the European Commission and its College of Commissioners . The following Directorates-General (departments) are also based in
1848-689: The Leopold Quarter (where they were already based) and near the homes of the civil servants to the south and east. The land chosen was then occupied by the Convent of the Ladies of Berlaymont [ fr ] , a 300-year-old convent that managed a girls' boarding school . The convent and school moved to a larger and quieter site out of the city centre in Waterloo . Once the Belgian State finished their new school and built infrastructure to it,
1925-543: The Rue de la Loi which housed the now defunct Directorate-General for External Relations (RELEX). However that building was thought to be too small, would be too closely associated with RELEX (going against the image of the EEAS as a unique independent institution) and would take too long to overhaul. It was also proposed that the EEAS take over the Lex building . Due to cost and security considerations, Ashton had preferred to take over
2002-551: The United Nations General Assembly , appointing individual representatives to the observer office. This government -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Berlaymont building The Berlaymont building ( French pronunciation: [bɛʁlɛmɔ̃] ) is an office building in Brussels , Belgium, which houses the headquarters of the European Commission ,
2079-410: The " Hebdo ", as well as the restaurant La Convivialité . Ursula von der Leyen is the first Commission's president to actually reside in the Berlaymont. She sleeps in a small private area next to her main office on the 13th floor. With the number of European civil servants rapidly growing since their arrival in Brussels in 1958, the European Commission required more and more office space across
2156-566: The 2014–2020 programming exercise began. The following Directorates-General (DGs) and Commissioners are not being merged and decisions in these areas require approval from the college of Commissioners: The EEAS is based in the Triangle building (also known as the Capital, or Axa building) on the Schuman roundabout in the heart of Brussels' EU Quarter . The building is leased at €12 million
2233-493: The Belgian State desired a building not just tailored to the Commission, but something that could be used by its own civil servants were the Commission to leave. This was also why they favoured a central office building rather than the project for the construction of a "European city" in Etterbeek . Due to the plans not meeting their exact desires, the Commission gained a lower rent. Work was planned so that as soon as each wing
2310-430: The Berlaymont rent while it was vacated. However, the project began to face setbacks, which tarnished Belgium's image, as it failed to decide working arrangements, and which put back preliminary studies until Berlaymont 2000 took over in 1996 and set up a team to carry out the necessary studies. The Commission then stalled, doubting that the proposed plans would sufficiently adapt the Berlaymont to its new needs. Eventually,
2387-556: The Berlaymont: Human Resources and Security (HR), European Political Strategy Centre, formerly known as Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA), Communication (COMM), Brussels Office of Infrastructure and Logistics (OIB), Secretariat-General (SG) and the Legal Service (SJ). The office of the president, the Commission, and the boardroom, are on the 13th floor, together with the meeting room of
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2464-461: The Commission and Council presidents, and member states. He would be in charge where there was a common position but otherwise, on bilateral matters, he would not take over from national ambassadors. All delegations are expected to be converted by the end of 2010. Some states may choose to operate through the new EU delegations and close down some of their smaller national embassies, however France has indicated that it will maintain its own network around
2541-598: The Commission as well as staff seconded from national diplomatic services of the Member States. The organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service shall be established by a decision of the Council. The Council shall act on a proposal from the High Representative after consulting the European Parliament and after obtaining the consent of the Commission. Shortly before the treaty came into force, Catherine Ashton
2618-450: The Commission delegations and 411 from the Council of the European Union. These joined with 118 new posts to create a staff of 1,643 on the day of transfer. The day-to-day administration of the EEAS is handled by an Executive Secretary-General. The EEAS shall be managed by an Executive Secretary-General who will operate under the authority of the High Representative. The Executive Secretary-General shall take all measures necessary to ensure
2695-435: The Commission stayed, offered to build a prestigious administration complex large enough to house the entire staff. President Walter Hallstein was interested but cautious about making long-term commitments while the issue of where the institutions were based was still being discussed. However, the need for office space was overwhelming. The Belgian Government's proposal required sufficient land, which would preferably be in
2772-488: The Commission to concentrate itself in these buildings around the Schuman Roundabout and vacate the outer office complex. The cost of this deterred the Council from approving the plan, seeing the rent being driven too high. The Commission also wanted to occupy the whole of the Berlaymont, which it shared with the Council and Parliament. The general public most associated the Commission with the Berlaymont and it
2849-423: The Commission was not in a position to buy. Renovation suddenly became an important issue when flaked asbestos was found in the building in 1990. The civil servants' trade unions put on the pressure and the issue was used as a pretext for a full renovation as the facilities had become outdated and were not able to cope with the influx of new member states . Demolition was not an option as the foundations anchored
2926-494: The EEAS as EU embassies (although representing the whole of the EU under Lisbon, the commission had wanted to retain management). The delegations would also support visits from MEPs, delegation heads would have hearings in Parliament (though no veto) and they are at the disposal of Parliament for questions concerning the country they dealt with. There are EU delegations in nearly every UN member state and each head of delegation
3003-475: The EEAS as possible by demanding scrutiny of appointments and budgets. Parliament removed the last hurdle to the plan on 8 July, when MEPs approved the service by 549 votes for and 78 against with 17 abstentions. The Council approved the transfer of departments to the EEAS on 20 July. Until the EEAS became operational, Ashton was only supported by around 30 people on a floor of the Berlaymont building . The EEAS
3080-504: The EEAS included proposals for the EEAS to take responsibility for Neighbourhood Policy (currently assigned to the Enlargement Commissioner) and international development at least. Under a compromise with the commission, it was agreed development would be split, with the EEAS taking on three of the five planning cycles from the commission. How this division of labour will work in practice only began being tested in 2012 as
3157-559: The EEAS itself. The European Commission managed to retain control over its competencies in aid (and its €6 billion a year budget), development, energy and enlargement. This gives the relevant Commissioners the lead in those areas and deputise for the HR when necessary. Although the service will have cells for the commission's areas, decisions will have to be made jointly by the HR and the College of Commissioners . However Ashton's draft plan for
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3234-659: The Ladies of Berlaymont handed over the site, which they had been under pressure to sell to developers for years, to the Belgian Government in November 1963. To organise what was needed, the Belgian Foreign Minister Pierre Wigny suggested a Commission consultative Berlaymont , where the Commission, the Belgian Public Works Ministry, the contractors and the architects could draw up the plans. However,
3311-455: The Lex building which could be rented from the Council at a lower rate and already has a higher security rating with tunnels to the main Commission and Council buildings. However, in order to take over the building, the council staff would have to be willing to leave and the council's budget increased so they could find new accommodation. Due to the staff in Lex unwilling to move, the triangle building
3388-626: The Middle East and Southern Neighbourhood, 5) Russia, the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans and 6) Global and Multilateral Affairs. Geographic desks are not duplicated in the commission. The EEAS also includes departments for security, strategic policy planning, legal affairs, inter-institutional relations, information and public diplomacy, internal audit and inspections, and personal data protection. Parts of
3465-508: The Rue de la Loi. The windows cut off the air conditioning when opened to prevent energy being wasted. Offices, which are now larger, can have their heating adjusted automatically or individually. The heating is turned off automatically when the room is unoccupied. The building now has 240,500 m (2,589,000 sq ft) of floor space on 18 levels, connected by 42 lifts and 12 escalators . Offices for 3,000 officials and meeting rooms are in
3542-523: The autonomous cells such as the Situation Centre (see intelligence below), the military staff, an internal security unit, audit unit and a unit for communications and relations with other EU institutions. The chief operating officer deals with the budget and administration and six managing directors each manage a department (see organisation ). The following are the current office holders; The former Commission's representations abroad fall under
3619-452: The budget, though independent, would be scrutinised by MEPs who can approve or reject it. Parliament would also be consulted on overseas missions and have stronger budgetary oversight over those too. They would also informally vet appointments to prominent foreign embassies and have access to some classified EEAS documents. As part of the merger, the intelligence gathering services in the Commission and Council will be merged. These services are
3696-492: The city. By 1965, the Commission alone had 3,200 staff scattered across 8 different cramped buildings. The situation, which started as soon as they arrived due to the lack of large office blocks, became critical and the Commission tried to concentrate its staff in a number of rented buildings around the Robert Schuman Roundabout . The Belgian Government , becoming aware of the problem and keen to ensure that
3773-491: The commission also plays a part in technical implementation. The HR must report to the European Parliament . The EEAS would have desks dedicated to all the countries and regional organisations in the world, and specialised units for democracy, human rights and defence. The EEAS has six geographical departments headed by a managing director. The departments divide the world into: 1) Africa, 2) Asia, 3) Americas, 4)
3850-531: The commission) while the other assists with foreign policy formulation. On 28 July 2015 it was announced that as from mid-September 2015, the Secretary General will be assisted by a third Deputy Secretary-General, in charge of Economic and Global Issues. However under the final agreed plans the HR would be deputised by a relevant European Commissioner or the foreign minister holding the rotating council presidency. The Secretary-General will also oversee
3927-435: The council's Joint Situation Centre (SitCen) and Watch-Keeping Capability and the commission's Crisis Room . The Situation Centre has 110 staff and has a cell of intelligence analysts from member states who pool classified information to produce concise reports on important topics. It also runs a 24/7 alert desk based on public sources which then updates EU diplomats via SMS on current events. The Watch-Keeping Capability
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#17327660942424004-661: The deadlines, resorted to outside funding from the Office de sécurité sociale d'Outre-mer (OSSOM). OSSOM would own the land but the building would be constructed and rented by the Belgian Government with rent deducted from its contribution to OSSOM's budget. Eventually, it would buy it in 1985 through regular instalments, while it was being sublet to the Commission. OSSOM awarded the construction contract to an association of entrepreneurs, Enterprises François et Fils with Compagnie belge des Chemins de fer et d'entreprises , Compagnie industrielle de travaux and Armand Blaton . The lack of
4081-503: The entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009. It was formally established on 1 December 2010. The EEAS was formed by merger of the external relations departments of the European Commission and of the Council , which were joined by staff seconded from national diplomatic services of the Member States. Although it supports both the commission and the council, the EEAS is independent from them and has its own staff, as well as
4158-414: The executive branch of the European Union (EU). The structure is located on the Robert Schuman Roundabout at 200, rue de la Loi/Wetstraat , in what is known as the " European Quarter ". The unique form of the Berlaymont's architecture is used in the European Commission's official emblem. The building is named after the Convent of the Ladies of Berlaymont [ fr ] . The building has housed
4235-615: The following departments have been transferred from the commission or Council to the External Action Service: the Policy Unit (Council), Directorate-General E (Council), Officials of the General Secretariat of the council on secondment to European Union Special Representatives and ESDP missions Directorate-General for External Relations (Commission), External Service (Commission – Delegations), Directorate-General for Development (Commission). Staff
4312-607: The future department's work, in particular at the new director would be expected to travel to global hotspots. The director of the Joint Situation Centre was appointed in December 2010, Finnish security chief Ilkka Salmi. The High Representative also has authority over the European Defence Agency , EU Institute for Security Studies and the EU Satellite Centre , though these remain autonomous from
4389-485: The larger civil service and sometimes a constituent part of the foreign ministry . Some intergovernmental organizations, such as the European Union , and some international non-state organizations, such as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , may also retain diplomatic services in other jurisdictions. For non-state organizations, the reciprocation of diplomatic recognition by other jurisdictions
4466-400: The local road and metro networks, which would be put in danger if the Berlaymont were to be knocked down. However it was hard to establish a full renovation budget due to budgetary constraints of the Belgian Government. Hence, it was decided to bring in private sector financial institutions in the form of a management and renovation company: SA Berlaymont 2000 (in which the Belgian State remained
4543-415: The plans for the new merged intelligence service are still sketchy as of early 2010 but it will not run undercover operations along the lines of national intelligence agencies despite proposals from Belgium and Austria after the 2004 Madrid train bombings . The Situation Centre and Crisis Room would be merged and headed by the HR . It would be located near the HR's office headed by a director-general with
4620-563: The plans were adapted enough for the Commission not only to accept them and return to the Berlaymont but to pay the renovation costs, signing a long lease in 1997 with an option to purchase. Work on removing the asbestos began in the summer of 1995, three and a half years after the building was vacated. Work was expected to finish in February 1997, but inefficient organisation led to delay after delay: rumours about air pollution and violation of standards, electricity failures and asbestos outside
4697-510: The press room. There were no reported casualties. The building does not have a fire sprinkler system except in the garage. The building, under the provisional name Centre Administratif Europe , was designed by Lucien De Vestel , in association with Jean Gilson (Groupe Alpha), André and Jean Polak and with the recommendations of the engineer Joris Schmidt. It was directly inspired by the 1958 secretariat building of UNESCO in Paris (which
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#17327660942424774-605: The proposed single HR post; as Charles Grant, Director of the Centre for European Reform, says it would "...be like having a conductor without an orchestra—or rather, a conductor trying to conduct two separate orchestras at the same time." Following the rejection of the Constitution, the changes were revived in the Treaty of Lisbon which came into force in 2009. The mandate for the External Action Service
4851-508: The rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union and merged with the independent Council delegations around the world. Through this the EU delegations take on the role of co-ordinating national embassies and speaking for the EU as a whole, not just the commission. The first delegation to be upgraded was the one in Washington D.C., the new joint ambassador was Joao Vale de Almeida who outlined his new powers as speaking for both
4928-463: The screen brought work to a halt. Longer time frames and more capital were demanded to complete the work. Outside management was brought in with asbestos removal being completed in 1999. Renovation work started on 1 June 1999 with work on full modernisation of the building, including better natural light flows, and construction was expected to be finished by the end of 2001 according to optimistic forecasts. However, once more there were further delays from
5005-575: The smooth functioning of the EEAS, including its administrative and budgetary management. The Executive Secretary-General shall ensure effective coordination between all departments in the central administration as well as with the Union Delegations. Below the Secretary-General there are two deputy Secretaries-General. One of the deputy secretaries-general deals with administrative matters (such as co-ordination and co-operation with
5082-509: The subcontractors, Berlaymont 2000 and SNCB/NMBS , which was constructing a railway link below the building. The completion date was pushed back each year until it reached mid-2004. Despite further considerable delays and legal battles, the building was handed over to the Commission in stages, starting from 1 July 2004, with civil servants moving back just before the start of the Barroso Commission , with their related cabinets and
5159-414: The world for now. The EEAS's budget is proposed and managed by the HR and be signed off every year by Parliament. Parliament would also review the budget of each EU mission; Parliament's oversight would put an end to a long-standing gentlemen's agreement whereby Parliament and Council do not look at each other's budget details. Parliament has fought to gain oversight over the EEAS and under final plans
5236-701: Was chosen by Ashton in October 2010. The EEAS's CSDP bodies are situated in the Kortenberg building , as these could not be moved to the Triangle building in 2012 for security reasons. Diplomatic service Diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. Diplomatic personnel obtain diplomatic immunity when they are accredited to other countries. Diplomatic services are often part of
5313-461: Was complete, staff could move in while the rest of the building was still under construction. The north and east wings were to be completed first (estimated for August 1961, though that proved optimistic). The south wing would take longer given the need to demolish more buildings including the girls' school, with the Ladies of Berlaymont unable to vacate until 1963. The Belgian Government, realising that budgetary constraints meant it could not meet any of
5390-544: Was completed on 1 February 1967, with the first civil servants moving in three months later. The three-month gap was due to disagreements about the conditions of the lease. The Belgian State was to lease the whole building to the Commission starting from when the work was finished, but the other member states found the cost excessive and wanted to explore other options, gaining a lease for the one and only completed wing instead. The lease came into effect on 1 May 1967 and cost €545,366 (the whole building would be €4.82 million,
5467-455: Was designed by Marcel Breuer , Pier Luigi Nervi and Bernard Zehrfuss ). The technical design was ground-breaking at the time and generated an enthusiastic response from a Brussels journal: "This design concept reflects both the 20th century innovative spirit and sheer audacity and brings to mind the astonishing civil engineering arrow at the 1958 exhibition ." The building has a cruciform design with four wings of unequal size spanning from
5544-496: Was due to the 55 m (180 ft) height restriction around the Cinquantenaire (so as not to spoil the view) It included 17 flexible conference rooms that could be used by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers . There were a further nine Commission meeting rooms on the upper floors. Free space outside was converted into public gardens and terraces. Since renovation, the structure has not changed except for
5621-490: Was formally launched at the Commission headquarters in a low key event on 1 December 2010. For organisation of the executive offices, see Senior posts below The EEAS manages general foreign relations, security and defence policies and controls the Situation Centre (see intelligence below). However, although the HR and the EEAS can prepare initiatives, member states make the final policy decisions and
5698-465: Was named HR and tasked with drawing up the structure of the new EEAS. Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake Ashton chaired a meeting of the foreign policy actors across the Commission , Council and member states to give a coordinated response to the disaster. Although she refused to describe it as the first act of the external action service, Ashton did stress that it was the first time that such
5775-431: Was replaced by a cupola that houses the Commission's meeting room, looking out over the Schuman Roundabout. The building meets the strictest environmental standards, reusing light, power and heat throughout the building. The façade was replaced with a curtain wall with mobile glass screens that adapt to weather conditions and reduce glare while still allowing light in. They also act as a sound barrier, reducing noise from
5852-470: Was scheduled to start in 1994 and to take five years. At the end of 1991, the Commissioners and their cabinets moved to the rapidly completed Breydel building and other departments moved out to buildings across the quarter and the wider capital: Auderghem , Evere and Etterbeek : in total, 11 buildings costing €14.8 million a year to the Belgian State in return the Commission kept paying
5929-542: Was seen as a matter of pride that they occupy the entire building. Doing so would give them more room, and if they occupied it with the Joyeuse Entrée building, which they had before, they would have enough space, and the Charlemagne building could be occupied entirely by the Council. This would mean they could communicate well but not have to work in the same building. The Council eventually agreed but moved into
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