EU leaders will gather in Brussels on Thursday for a special Council summit, bringing the usual traffic disruptions to the motorists in the city.
Blockades and diversions will be put in place mainly the EU quarter, with security perimeters set up namely around Rond Point Schuman.
As a result, traffic in the streets connecting into the roundabout will be disrupted, with Rue Juste Lipse completely inaccessible and Rue Froissart blocked between Rue Belliard and the roundabout.
Drivers can expect to encounter disturbances and deviations from 11:30 AM, when authorities will close down the Reyers tunnel, near the northern Plasky neighbourhood, in the direction of the centre.
Within the EU quarter, only local residents with a laissez-passer will be allowed to circulate in a number of streets on Thursday: Rue Archimède, Rue de la Loi and Rue Breydel.
Additionally, Avenue de Cortenbergh will only be accessible from Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée while traffic on Avenue d'Auderghem will be restricted between Rue Belliard and Rond-Point Schuman.
Vehicles will equally not be allowed to park anywhere where there is a security perimeter or in the streets where only residents are allowed to circulate.
Parking will also be prohibited on parts of the Chaussée d'Etterbeek and on Rue Belliard as well as on Rue Van Maerlant.
Some public transport users will also see their commutes affected by the summit, with STIB announcing in a statement that buses number 12, 21, 36, 60 and 79 will be deviated and that the bus stop Schuman will not be served throughout the day.
The summit on Thursday will see leaders gather to discuss the EU's long-term budget in discussions that could prove fraught and lengthy as the bloc sets eyes on ambitious environmental goals.
In his invitation letter to EU leaders, EU Council President Charles Michel stated that the summit would kick off on 20 February but did not include an ending date, with Brussels police warning that it could not be ruled out that the event could be extended.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
