Expats in Belgium: The attractiveness of Brussels as a world city
Although Brussels is only 32.61 km² in area, the Belgian capital is very much present on the world stage. With EU and NATO headquarters on its territory and the presence of over 220,000 expats and 183 nationalities, Brussels is one of the most diverse places on earth.
The Brussels-Capital Region is home to many European institutions and agencies, including the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the European Defence Agency, the European Data Protection Supervisor, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Council of the European Union. A total of 38 European Union organisations have their headquarters or liaison offices in Brussels.
Many United Nations organisations, such as the International Labour Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation, have chosen to locate their headquarters in Brussels because of the proximity of the European Union’s headquarters. Close cooperation with the EU is interesting for them because it often goes hand in hand with funding.