The European quarter is a fundamental cornerstone of Brussels' urban identity and image. It is the physical but even more the symbolic port of entry of many Europeans to Brussels. It is Brussels largest business district, but it is above all the place where Europe is being made every day. Around 30.000 European civil servants and a few hundred elected people, but also around 60.000 people who produce ideas and knowledge, weave together a dense network of relations between the decision and policy makers and those who want to influence them.
Succeeding in making of this very special neighborhood a place of true democratic intensity is a challenge that goes beyond city planning. It is about giving substance to the manifest destiny of a city which has embraced – a little unwillingly – the role of cradle of Europe and must confront all the complexity of such a task.
The European Quarter Fund is one of the places where this peculiar role is being debated by a great variety of stakeholders with the aim of contributing to the general interest.
Alain Deneef
The members of the European Quarter Fund have agreed on a shared vision for the future of the European quarter, called the Manifesto, and commit to short-term tactical urban actions, grouped in the Charter, that will start the transition of the European quarter towards a more Open, Welcoming, and Diverse area.
EQuAMA or the "European Quarter Area Management Association" has been established in 2012 by the European Quarter Fund. It is a non-profit organization (Vzw/Asbl) that aims to animate the European quarter.
In short, the European Quarter Fund deals with the hardware such as mobility, public planning and housing, and the functional diversity of buildings. EQuAMA on the other hand, was created for the software: organizing events and activities and improving the atmosphere and conviviality of its public spaces and spaces open for the public, by small interventions. EQuAMA is a laboratory for new types of use of public space.
Through its initiatives, it wants to connect the Brusseler, the expat and anyone addressed and involved in the European quarter.
A few of the very successful initiatives launched by EQuAMA:
Visit the "Brussels meets Europe" website Visit the StamEuropa website
