Partnerships
Brussels International is responsible for managing the Brussels-Capital Region’s bilateral relations (i.e. relations between two parties), which are generally based on a cooperation agreement or arrangement. Since its creation in 1989, the Brussels-Capital Region has signed agreements with around thirty partners. Over the years, Brussels International has endeavoured to bring those to life and adapt them to today’s challenges.
What is a bilateral agreement?
While you may have heard about twinning arrangements, widespread symbolic links between municipalities or cities, you may be less familiar with the concept of bilateral agreements.
These are more in-depth relations focused on key themes that fall within External linkthe competences of the Brussels-Capital Region.
The aim is to carry out concrete projects that help to strengthen the Region’s international image and/or its expertise in key areas. The achievements are obtained in the short, medium or long term and vary greatly in scale. However, the common denominator is the mutual nature of the exchanges, from a “win-win” perspective.
How are the partners selected?
Agreements are entered into at the initiative of either the Brussels Capital Region or a potential partner.
In the past, the geopolitical context played a key role in the conclusion of new agreements. Many of them were signed as part of the negotiations for the accession of third countries to the European Union. Existing ties of friendship and shared values of democracy, unity, peace, progress and equality also played a big role.
Today, three objective criteria have been added to better target partners:
And, of course, the geopolitical context remains at the heart of our concerns, to generate prosperous trade while respecting human rights.
Brussels International has also introduced a new method to better evaluate the advisability of potential agreements. A test phase, consisting of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) lasting two years, systematically precedes the signing of the agreements themselves, which only takes place if concrete avenues for cooperation have been identified, in conjunction with the Brussels players responsible for the themes in question.
Who are the current partners?
| WARNING |
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| Now that there is no Brussels government with full powers, decisions on bilateral agreements are suspended. Therefore, only agreements in the strict sense of the word (which excludes temporary MOUs) and whose validity is not in question (which excludes agreements that would require renewal) are included in this section. |
For the moment, the Brussels Capital Region has the following bilateral partners: Aichi, Berlin, Budapest, Ile-de-France, Kyiv, Havana, the European Metropolis of Lille, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Quebec, Seoul and Tokyo.
In addition, the Region has entered into agreements relating to development cooperation, which do not require reciprocity and are covered in a separate section. LINK The partners in question are: the Governorate of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, the City-Province of Kinshasa and the Region of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra.
What concrete actions have been undertaken in the frame of these agreements?
If the politics of bilateral relations still seem a little abstract to you, perhaps a few illustrations of concrete actions will enlighten you.
In particular, Brussels International is responsible for organising, in collaboration with the Brussels players and with its partners:
- field visits for partner delegations, highlighting the Brussels expertise and knowhow, but also the major challenges the Brussels Capital Region is facing;
- exchanges between local, technical, administrative and political players in Brussels and abroad;
- field visits during missions abroad to learn from the best practices of our partners;
- actions to promote Brussels’ heritage abroad;
- numerous long-distance exchanges, particularly essential during the COVID-19 epidemic, to learn from each other’s experiences and initiatives,
- calls for projects, formal or informal, to support exchanges between Brussels and Quebec players…
Discover the bilateral policy in pictures:
