Our 17th public event will be devoted to mobility policy and urban development in Belgium and the tricky problems they raise in the context of a federal state with a central conurbation stretching over all three regions. The two regions most directly involved created the function of bouwmeester/maître architecte in order to address some of these problems. The two bouwmeesters will introduce the final discussion, after keynote presentations by three of Belgium’s most prominent experts in this domain. The programme features below. Registration is free of charge and obligatory no later than the 7th of December.

Looking forward to welcoming you at our next event,
Paul DE GRAUWE & Philippe VAN PARIJS
coordinators of the Re-Bel initiative

University Foundation (11 rue d’Egmontstraat, 1000 Brussels),
Thursday 13 December 2018, 2-6pm
Public event coordinated by Erik SCHOKKAERT

All over the world, environmental challenges and sharp increases in congestion are turning the transportation of people and goods and the correlative allocation of space into central issues in public debate and public policy. In our country, the fact that a significant part of this mobility crosses regional borders raises difficult institutional questions.

What are and should be the respective roles of the federal state, the regions and the local authorities in mobility policy? At what level(s) should investments in transport infrastructure be decided and at what level should they be funded? And how should mobility policy be coordinated with urban development policies and its objectives, such as adequate housing and a concern for green spaces and biodiversity? Can decisions about the allocation of space stop at the borders of a commune, a region, the federal state? What is the best way of allocating and coordinating decision powers between these various levels?

Programme

1.30pm: Registration

2-3.45pm: Part 1: Background
Chair and introduction: Erik SCHOKKAERT (KU Leuven & Re-Bel))
Keynote lectures by
Isabelle THOMAS (geographer, UC Louvain)
Stef PROOST (economist, KU Leuven)
Pierre LACONTE (president, Foundation for the Urban Environment)

3.45-4.15pm: Coffee break

4.15-6pm: Part 2: General discussion introduced by the two regional bouwmeesters
Chair: Estelle CANTILLON (ULB & Re-Bel)
Introduction by
Kristiaan BORRET (Maître architecte/Bouwmeester, Region of Brussels Capital)
Leo VAN BROECK (Bouwmeester, Flanders)
General discussion

Conclusion: Paul DE GRAUWE (LSE & Re-Bel)

6pm: Reception

Registration free of charge but obligatory no later than the 7th of December.