Leaders of European Union (EU) Member States will gather in Brussels on Thursday 20 March and Friday 21 March to discuss defence, competitiveness and Ukraine. As always, this meeting will disrupt traffic in the Belgian capital.
EU leaders are meeting in the buildings of the Council of the European Union on Rue de la Loi in Brussels this week to discuss competitiveness, recent developments in Ukraine, and the next steps on defence. They will follow up on the special European Council held earlier this month, during which leaders called for faster mobilisation of the necessary procedures and financing and identified priority areas for action at the EU level.
"The next multiannual financial framework (MFF), migration, the latest developments in the Middle East, multilateralism and other global issues are also on the agenda," the European Council said in a statement.
As always, the meeting will result in traffic disruption in the European Quarter, the City of Brussels and the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone confirmed. The meeting and security measures will also further exacerbate the disruption caused by the works on the Schuman roundabout.
People are therefore advised not to drive in this area, and to opt for public transport or soft mobility options instead.
Streets and tunnels closed
A safety zone will be set up, including the Schuman roundabout, Rue Froissart from number 101 to 143, Rue de la Loi between the Schuman roundabout and the Residence Palace, and between the Schuman roundabout and Boulevard Charlemagne.
"The perimeter in the Schuman district will be closed from 09:00 and the Reyers tunnel towards the city centre from 08:00," the police wrote on social media.
Only authorised people (with a digital or printed pass and proof of identity) can enter this zone on foot, while only official delegations and emergency services can enter with a vehicle. An access pass for people living or working in the security perimeter can be obtained via the police website (deadline was 14 March).
"No exceptions will be made for people outside the security perimeter or for people with access to their building via an entrance outside the security perimeter," the police noted. Deliveries will not be possible, and no rubbish bags, bicycles or outdoor seating can be placed on public roads within this security perimeter. For security reasons, all building windows must be closed.
Only local traffic will be allowed on Rue Archimède between Rue Stevin and the Schuman roundabout, Avenue de Cortenbergh between Rue Stevin and the Schuman roundabout (limited access during escorts), Rue de la Loi between Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée and the Schuman roundabout, Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée, Avenue d'Auderghem between Rue de la Loi and the Schuman roundabout, Rue Breydel, Rue Froissart between Rue Juste Lipse and Rue Belliard, and Rue Juste Lipse. These areas are accessible without a pass.
No vehicles can park within the security perimeter, in the streets where only local traffic is allowed, on the routes taken by the delegations, on Chaussée d'Etterbeek (between Rue Belliard and Rue Van Maerlant), on Rue Van Maerlant and Rue Belliard (between Chaussée d'Etterbeek and Avenue d'Auderghem).
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The summit will also disrupt public transport in the area. Brussels' public transport operator STIB confirmed that the Schuman metro station will remain open but that entrances 6 (Rue Froissart), 7 and 8 (to Rue Archimède and Schuman) will be closed from 14:00 on Thursday. Entrances 4 (Residence Palace) and 5 (Justus Lipsius) will be closed from 07:00 on Thursday.
The entrances to the railway station (Berlaymont side) will remain open. People with reduced mobility can access the station via Rue de la Loi, near the Lex building.
Meanwhile, bus lines 59, 60 and 80 will be rerouted locally around Place Jourdan, and lines 27 (towards Luxembourg) and 36 (towards Maelbeek) will be rerouted around the Froissart stop.
