Brussels wakes up to roadblocks and detours this morning as heads of state gather for the European Summit on 15-16 October. From 07:30 the police have sealed off the Schuman roundabout and a wide security perimeter around Rue de la Loi, Justus Lipsius and neighbouring streets. Deliveries are suspended, surface parking is banned and windows facing the street must remain closed. The Reyers tunnel towards the city centre was shut an hour earlier to keep motorcades moving. Public transport is heavily affected. STIB bus lines 12, 21, 22, 27, 36, 60 and 79 are diverted via Maelbeek, while parts of Schuman metro/RER access are closed intermittently. National rail operator SNCB warns that trains may skip Schuman at short notice if requested by police. Travellers to Brussels Airport are told to allow extra time and consider the rail link from Brussels-Nord instead of the usual bus 12. For mobility managers the disruption highlights the continuing importance of contingency planning for high-level political events in the Belgian capital. Employers should advise assignees and visiting executives to work remotely or use park-and-ride sites outside the inner ring. Hotels inside the perimeter require proof of booking, while ride-hailing vehicles are refused entry. International companies hosting events this week have scrambled to switch venues to the Louise and Montgomery districts. Although such summits are routine, today’s meeting coincides with a record 27 official delegations and is the first since the full entry into force of the EU’s new Migration & Asylum Pact. Security services have therefore raised the threat level by one notch, leading to stricter ID checks at key rail hubs. The Brussels Police stress that the perimeter will not be lifted before Friday evening and urge the public to consult real-time updates before travelling. Practical tip: holders of Belgian residence cards should carry them even for domestic journeys today, as random identity checks around Schuman have been authorised under the 1998 Police Functions Act.
Source: BX1
