In the summer of 2023, the European Commission announced the biggest single real estate operation in the history of Brussels. In order to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, the European Commission is abandoning their “underperforming” building stock. This portfolio comprises 21 buildings in the European quarter in Brussels.

For decades, publicly owned building stock has been sold off for financial advantages. This drives up the value of the land underneath, drastically reducing the affordability and accessibility of entire neighbourhoods. Repeating the same mistake in the name of sustainability means replacing the speculation of today by the green speculation of tomorrow.

Research Documents

We oppose the commercialization of institutional space. Housing and public space should not have to be negotiated on the terms of the market. Altering the sales process in its intermediate stage, we implement a leasehold system. The Belgian state should keep the land, the dwellers should own their homes and the European Commission should own their offices.