EUROPEAN COMMISSION TRAINING & CONFERENCE CENTRE

The project will fund the construction of a new training and conference centre for the European Commission in Brussels, replacing the outdated "Albert Borschette" building.

The new building will be a fundamental part of the European Union's activities, supporting the decision-making process in the development and implementation of EU policies. It will host expert meetings, comitology meetings, and consultations with partners, social dialogue at sectoral level and dialogue with citizens. The project will create positive socio-economic externalities by offering improved facilities, amenities, and services, as well as enhancing the quality of training, business, and economic activities. Furthermore, the new building will contribute to improve the local urban environment.

The Project is in line with the EU Urban Agenda, the new Leipzig Charter for sustainable urban development, the new European Skills Agenda as well as the objectives of the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation.

The new European Commission conference centre will be essential for the EU's decision-making process, social dialogue, the Commission's communication with civil society, and staff training.

The environmental impact during construction and operation of the facility will be mitigated according to the measures outlined in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report and the decision by the Competent Authority. The project will be built on an underutilised urban plot. Soil de-contamination works will take place, if pollutants will be detected. The new building will have a very high energy performance and will include renewable energy apparatus along with charging stations for electric vehicles. The primary energy demand will be at minimum 10% lower compared to the Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) level as per the local energy performance standards. The improvement to the energy demand and reductions to the operational greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are even higher compared to the current "Albert Borschette Conference Centre".

The European Commission is a public authority within the meaning of Directive 2014/24/EU, and the contracts for the implementation of the project have been awarded in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation (Directive 2014/24/EU and Directive 89/665/EEC), as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the European Union. The contract notice has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union and the tender process has been finalised following the competitive dialogue procedure.

The Total Project Cost has been calculated based on the information provided by the promoter and by applying EIB methodology including the estimated interest of the EIB loan.