The agreement on friendship and cooperation between Berlin and the Brussels-Capital Region was signed in Berlin on 1 June 1992. This city partnership was founded in the interest of more proximity to the European Union. The new connection to Berlin was the Brussels-Capital Region’s first official partnership on the international level.
Along with traditional administrative cooperation – especially in urban development, youth work, and environmental protection – we also cooperate in the many different city networks that both Brussels and Berlin belong to, such as Eurocities.
We often take advantage of the proximity to the European Union to plan joint projects with the help of EU programs. One example of such cooperation was a nine-week exchange of police officers from Berlin’s Office of Criminal Investigation and the Belgian National Police, as part of the EU program LEONARDO.
Exhibitions highlighting a wide range of topics and styles also take place in both cities.
Both cities are very interested in sharing their experience in various areas with each other, such as community-based work with immigrants that is aimed at promoting the integration of immigrant groups into urban life.
In November 2022, Secretary of State Pascal Smet represented Minister-President Rudi Vervoort during a visit to Berlin to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Berlin-Brussels Capital Region city partnership. His program in Berlin included visiting the new open-air exhibition at the East Side Gallery, a tour of the Haus der Statistik, and a visit to a project for refugees from Ukraine (Stitch and Bitch from Globe Aroma), which can also be found in Brussels.
Brussels is known for its jazz culture and brought two jazz concerts to Berlin as an anniversary present. And on 26 November 2022, Secretary of State Pascal Smet attended a five-city track-and-field tournament for young people at the Sportpark Jahn, where young athletes from Brussels were among the competitors.
In December 2022, the Governing Mayor of Berlin visited Brussels and invited about 150 guests to a reception at Les Brigittines. Here the guests heard pop music from Berlin from the duo Juno Francis. In addition, a one-week dance project was kicked off between Les Brigittines and the Centre Français de Berlin (CFB), which is to be continued.