6 May 2017 - the Council and the Europa building open their doors to the public

Met dank overgenomen van Raad van de Europese Unie (Raad) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 4 mei 2017.

As part of the EU institutions' open day, the headquarters of the European Council and the Council of the European Union, the two institutions representing the member states of the EU, are opening their doors from 10.00 to 18.00 on Saturday 6 May, offering guided tours, activities and information stands.

Guided tours of the new Europa building

Accompanied by members of staff, visitors will be able to discover the new Europa building, which has been used for meetings of European ministers and heads of state since January 2017. Tours will take place from 10.00 to 17.00 in French, Dutch, German and English.

Film on the history of the European Council

Visitors will find out how the European Council, originally conceived as an informal ‘fireside chat’ between presidents and prime ministers, has turned into a key EU institution.

Member states' stand

The 28 member states will be represented at a joint stand, where visitors can learn how each country participates in the Union's work, and discover their cultures and scenery. Some member states, such as Cyprus, Ireland and Hungary, will also put on traditional dance and/or music sessions. For the full list of events on offer, see the open day website (link at the bottom of the page).

Area for children and young people: youngsters will be able to have fun learning more about Europe and the European Union, including during guided tours.

Council online: visitors will be encouraged to take part in interactive games, discover surprising facts about Europe, take photos and share their impressions of the Council with their friends on social media.

Practical information

The open day will be held in the Council’s two main buildings. Entry will be via the Justus Lipsius building, 175 rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, Brussels.

Owing to the alert level currently in place in Belgium, additional security checks will be set up around the institutions. To facilitate these checks, visitors are encouraged not to bring luggage or other bulky objects.

Visitors are also encouraged to use public transport. There will also be a small train running all day between the institutions in the European quarter.

Press access

To arrange easier access, media wishing to access the Council on the open day are asked to contact the press office.