Brussels & European Union

“At every crossroads on the path that leads to the future,
tradition has placed 10,000 men to guard the past.” - Maurice Maeterlinck
(Belgian Symbolist Poet, Playwright, and Essayist 1862-1949)

This week I went on a class field trip to Brussels, Belgium for the day, with my European Union class, to take a tour of the European Union Parliament building and see the other EU buildings in the European Quarter of Brussels. Technically, the EU has no official capital, but Brussels is home to many of the EU institutions, including the European Commission, Council of the European Union, the European Council, and it is the second seat of the European Parliament. During our visit we took a tour of the Espace Léopold, the building which houses the European Parliament.

The EU Parliament is the only directly elected body of the EU. The Parliament is made up of 736 MEPs (Member of the European Parliament) who are elected every five years by the citizens of the 27 Member States of the European Union. Parliament is the “first institution” of the EU and shares equal legislative authority with the Council, and both have equal control over the EU budget. Parliament plays an active role in drafting legislation in areas such as environmental protection, consumer rights, equal opportunities, transport, and the free movement of workers, capital, services and goods. It was fun to see where all of the action takes place.

After our visit, we walked around Brussels, ending up in the old town area at the Grand Place. This square is the most important tourist destination in Brussels. The area was first established in the 10^th century by Charles, the Duke of Lower Lorraine, and by the 11^th century the marketplace was established. The City Hall was built in this square in 1409, and after that came the King’s House and the many guildhalls to surround the square. The Grand Place served as a market all the way until 1959, and it has recently been voted the most beautiful square in Europe. Going to Brussels on a field trip was amazing. I visited Bruges during my spring break, but didn’t have a chance to see Brussels. It is not as quaint and idyllic as Bruges, but it was fun to experience another large European city.