30,000 visit Brussels’ European institution on Europe Day

Each year on Europe Day (9 May), the numerous European institutions in the capital city opened their doors to the general public.

The 30,000 visitors to the European Commission and the European Parliament this time around were 5,000 more than last year.

The central theme of this year’s open day was ‘The European Year for Development’. The European Union celebrates Europe Day (also known as Schuman Day on 9 May as it was on this date in 1950 that the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman made a declaration that was the start of a process that led to the setting up of the European Economic Community.

The EEC or ‘Common Market’ as it was also know later became the European Union and now consists of most of the countries of Western and Central Europe. From Estonia and Bulgaria in the East to Ireland and Portugal in the West and from Sweden and Finland in the north to Cyprus and Spain in the south.

Today, a European Village has been set up on the Europakruispunt, a square in front of Brussels Central Railway Station.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica