On Monday 29 April, the European Commission and Belgium finalised an agreement under which the Belgian Sovereign Wealth Fund (SFPIM) will buy 23 buildings from the EU institution for €900 million.
This transaction will help the Commission to achieve its objective of reducing its office space by 25% by 2030, thereby achieving economies of scale by consolidating staff and reducing its carbon footprint. It will aim to diversify activities within the European Quarter by converting around a third of the redeveloped areas into housing (construction of 750 to 800 new flats), shops and green spaces.
Permits should start to be issued from 2026, with the first flats and offices delivered by 2028.
“The sale will help us achieve our objectives to reduce the number of buildings by 50% and our surface by 25%. This should also contribute to the transformation of the European Quarter by giving a new life to the buildings we are selling”, said European Commissioner for Budget Johannes Hahn in a press release.
Further information: https://aeur.eu/f/c0i (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)