Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Commission's Body of Commissioners will visit the Belgian Presidency, represented by the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Affairs, and members of the federal and regional governments and communities participating in the Presidency.
Guests will be invited to Egmont Palace in Brussels to attend round table discussions, a working lunch and a bilateral meeting organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss ways to coordinate positions between the two sides during the period of Belgium’s presidency of the Union and to implement the Belgian presidency’s work program, which will be presented at a later time to the European Parliament.
In the evening, the opening ceremony of the Belgian presidency will be held at the headquarters of the Palace of Fine Arts “Bozar” in the prestigious Henry Le Bœuf Hall. Guests will attend a musical performance performed by Jeff Neff, in the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, in addition to prominent Belgian and international figures.
The evening will include an original musical creation by Jeff Neff, a tribute to some great, world-renowned Belgian artists, and performances by special guests such as violinist Lorenzo Gatto and singers Sela Sue and Charlotte Adigiri. The evening will be accompanied by an orchestra including Belgian musicians from all regions, and will conclude with a reception.
The event is organized in collaboration with communities and regions, and highlights Belgium's openness to innovation, cooperation and diversity.

Six European months
Thus, the Belgian presidency of the European Union will begin in a very wonderful atmosphere, marking the beginning of six months of intense work. As President of the Council, Belgium will set the European agenda and promote cooperation between Member States to strengthen the EU and make progress in a number of areas, from climate to economic and social issues. The last time Belgium held the presidency was in the second half of 2010.
During this presidency, various summits and conferences will be organised, during which important decisions will be taken regarding the future of the European Union. To achieve this goal, Belgium will work closely with other Member States and EU institutions.
For this occasion, the articulated electric bus of the Brussels public transport company STIB will be completely decorated in the Belgian presidential colours. The bus, co-financed by European funds, will operate on line 64 between Haren and Port de Namur stations during the six-month presidential term. This initiative is the result of cooperation between STIB, the FPS Prime Minister's Chancellery and the European Commission Representation in Brussels, Belgium.