Introduction

Located at the heart of Europe, Belgium is bordered to the north by the North Sea and the Netherlands, to the east by Germany and Luxembourg, and to the south and west by France. Over a period of three centuries, Belgium was occupied by the Dukes of Burgundy, the Spanish, the Austrians, the French and the Dutch.

In 1830, the Belgians gained their independence from the Netherlands, and in 1831 the Belgian constitution was drawn forming a constitutional hereditary monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. On 7 February 1831, Belgium was conceived as a constitutional monarchy with a unitary state which remained intact until 1970.

Decentralisation started with the Flemish Movement requesting that Dutch be recognised on an equal basis with the French language. The constitution of 1831 considered French the sole official language for statutes and decrees. In 1963, the principle of territoriality was adopted and in 1966, language boundaries were created changing the boundaries of the provinces and the communes and creating four linguistic regions.

In 1993, with a new revision of the constitution, Belgium became a federation of three regions: Flanders, Wallonia and the capital region of Brussels. These regions have their own legislative councils and executive bodies, i.e. their own government with directly-elected parliaments. Each community has its own representation in the central government. The three communities deal with cultural matters, education, languages and health and have authority over socio-economic matters such as town and country planning, housing, environment, employment, energy, public works and transport. The central government is responsible for more important sectors such as national defence, foreign policy, social security, monetary affairs and justice.

The creation of a federation in Belgium has had serious repercussions on economy. Although it has helped decrease tension between the communities, it has contributed to making the Belgian economy debt-burdened, especially with the need to have the same services established in each region and community.

Belgium, together with Luxembourg in the BLEU (Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union) is the 10th largest trading nation in the world. The greater part of its exports are destined for other European countries, which explains why Belgium is so sensitive to the evolution of the European economy and has every interest in European unification and the free traffic of goods and services.

The Role of Belgium in the European Union

Belgium was one of the founding fathers of the EU. It was the one of the first countries to take steps towards a greater Europe in 1944, when it signed the Convention on the Economic Union between Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium, forming Benelux. In 1951, Belgium together with another 5 European States, formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

The creation of a European bloc was seen as an attractive model of stability to avoid a repetition of the dreadful nationalist spiral which dragged Belgium and the whole of Europe into calamity, a model which can make a contribution to controlling the risks of rapid decline, and promoting the development of common interests, especially at a time when nationalism is coming to the surface once more.

Belgium, by becoming a member-state in the EU, gained a sense of stability as well as sense of unity of the country itself. Despite the cultural differences and national disputes in Belgium, the EU represents a source of common economic and political interest for the different regions and communities.

Today, Brussels is not only the capital of the EU but also operational headquarters of the EU Council, the Commission and the European parliamentary committees. Furthermore, financial institutions such as banks and unions, as well as international governmental organisations such as the NATO, have set up their headquarters there. Out of the million people in Brussels, 30,000 are non-Belgians working in EU institutions. This has transformed Brussels into an international city, tolerant of other cultures, where languages other than French and Dutch are spoken. However, Belgium's interest in joining the EU extends beyond the need for stability and national unity. The EU is perceived as the means through which the challenges of unemployment, competition, social well being and political stability are met. Consequently, the government and people of Belgium support the Maastricht Treaty which is considered another step on the road toward integration and cooperation in creating a European Monetary Union, a Common Foreign and Security Policy, and further cooperation on judicial and home affairs.

Belgium, having an export-oriented economy, has every interest in supporting the creation of a single market, the opening of borders and creation of "frontier-free" trade, the elimination of taxation and customs, a Single European Currency (ECU) and the creation of a European Central Bank.