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Brussels

Daily Life

Post offices

Post offices in Brussels are generally open Monday to Friday, from 9h00 to 17h00 or 18h00, but some close at midday. Outside these hours a special counter is open at the following post office:

Gare du Midi, Avenue Fonsny C 32.4: 19h00 till 20h00

The main post office in the Schuman area is Avenue de Cortenberg, 16. There is also a small post office in the European Parliament. More information is available on www.post.be

Banks

Most banks and bureaux de change are open from Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 16.30.

You will need to make an appointment in order to open a bank account. Don't forget to take your passport and a copy of your apartment lease contract.

Some banks have service desks in the lobby that can help you with setting up this appointment. The banks get especially busy at the beginning of the stage period.

ATM cards are not always given to you on the spot when opening a bank account, so you may need to return to the bank at a later stage to pick these up in person.

In some cases, your ATM card will not automatically be programmed for use outside of Belgium and you may need to ask for this service to be activated. Also, the Maestro feature may not be automatically programmed onto the card, as there is a service fee for this added functionality.

Your ATM card will also have PROTON functionality. This allows you to withdraw digital cash from your bank account and load it onto the card. You can then use the PROTON feature to pay for purchases such as your lunch at the Commission cafeterias (who frequently only accept PROTON and no other forms of card payment). Look out for the PROTON loading stations around town and in the cafeterias.

Most Belgian banks offer free bank accounts to people under the age of 26. Monte Paschi www.montepaschi.be and Argenta www.argenta.be offer free bank accounts to any age group.

Telephone

Landlines:

Belgacom, the country's major communications provider, has a special toll-free number for expatriates (0800/32005). To get a fixed line (PSTN) either call this number or check out the list of Belgacom's Teleboutiques on www.belgacom.be. They also offer a broad choice of phones, mobile phones, answering machines, fax machines and pagers, either for sale or for rent. For general information, call these toll-free customer service lines 0800/55800 (English), 0800/33800 (French), 0800/44800 (German) and 0800/22800 (Dutch).

International Services:

The following companies might be an alternative worth considering: Toledo (0800/40600, www.toledo.be), Netnet (02/711.03.33), Telli Telecom (02/644.03.65), or Opticall (02/705.52.12). Signing up with them is easy - simply call the company of your choice and request to be connected. Belgacom also offers some discount services - call 0800/55.123 (toll free, in English) for further info.

Mobiles (GSM):

SIM cards can be obtained from mobile phone shops around the city. The major Belgian operators are:

Proximus 0800/15212, www.proximus.be

Mobistar 0800/95958, www.mobistar.be

BASE www.base.be and 0486/19.19.99.

The supermarket Super GB also has its own mobile network.

When comparing offers for mobile phone rates and for general information on mobile phones in Belgium, check: www.comparatel.be, www.tariffinder.com, www.belgsm.com, www.speed.be, www.infotelecom.be, www.bestnet.be or www.b-gsm.com.

It might be a good idea to buy the same SIM card as friends who you phone particularly often, as there are often offers special deals related to this e.g. free calls during the weekend.

Calling Cards:

Can be used from every phone, be it a mobile, home or office one (for international calls). They are available from Belgacom Teleboutiques, newsagents, post offices, supermarkets and train stations. You can also call 0800/91720 for Belgacom's Calling Card or 0800/22147 for XL-Call.

Internet

Although you will all have unlimited internet access in your office, you might also want to have internet access at home. Belgacom's Skynet (skynet.com, 02/706.113.11) is the leading provider of internet access in this country, but this is not to say that other providers (such as Telenet or Dommel) should be overlooked. Check out hotspots around town if you would like to use your laptop to surf the net or stay in touch with family and friends.

Waste disposal

In Brussels you have to sort your waste: there are blue bags for packaging, yellow bags for paper and white bags for everything you cannot recycle. Bags can be bought in the supermarket in different sizes. You should put glass in proper containers, although some supermarkets offer a take-back service by charging you a deposit (vidange) on each bottle. Waste is collected twice a week on specific days (ask your neighbours or at the Commune), recycling bags are collected once a week. Used batteries can be disposed of in the containers at Commission buildings.

It is important that you play your part Brussels needs your help! (You should also do this in your own country if you do not already). You can find more information (like the days and times you can put your waste out) at

http://www.bruxelles-proprete.be/Content/html/dechets/index.asp (FR and NL).

Supermarkets & markets

Supermarkets (like GB, Colruyt, LIDL, Aldi, and Delhaize) close at 19h or 20h, depending on the branch. On Sundays there are (at least) two supermarkets open until 18h, Delhaize on Boulevard Anspach and Rue Froissart and GB Express on Rue du Luxembourg. Many small retailers are also open on Sundays.

The best bargains are to be found at the outdoor markets near Gare du Midi (marché du midi, Sundays till 14.00) and Clemenceau (marché des abattoirs, Saturdays-Sundays till 14:00) and on Parvis de St. Gilles near Porte de Hal (daily). There is a wide choice of fruit, vegetables and cheese available there. Asian food can be found in the St. Gery area, near the Bourse. A must see is the market on Wednesdays in Place Chatêlain.

You can find just about anything in Brussels, if you know where to look!

See www.brussels.org/shopping for more information about shopping in Brussels.

Night shops & Food stores

There are lots of nightshops located all over Brussels. Great for late night munchies or alcohol purchases! Most of them are open all night. For shopping on Sundays, check out the 'Alimentation General' shops, of which there are plenty in all neighbourhoods.

City Store Rue Grétry 55, 1000 Bruxelles

General Store Ch. de Boondael 276 - 1050 Bruxelles

Laundrettes

To find the laundrettes nearest to you, consult the list in the Yellow Pages or in the Brussels telephone book. The most common one around town is called the Wash Club. In the Schuman area there is one on Place Jourdan. You will also find one on rue de Pavie and one at the end of rue Van Campenhout (next to Square Ambiorix).

Libraries

Koninklijke Bibliotheek van België - Bibliothèque royale de Belgique

Boulevard de lEmpereur Keizerslaan 4 tel: 02.519.53.51

This is the largest library in Brussels. It has 5 million works, more than 150 km of bookshelves and a particularly impressive collection of Western European public manuscripts.

Quateletfonds Fond Quatelet

Rue de lindustrie Nijverheidsstraat (corner Rue Montoyerstraat). This library of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs has an international reputation for its wide and varied collection.

Library of the European Commission

Van Maerlant 18 in the church. Ask for info on opening hours.

Brusselse Hoofdstedelijke Bibliotheek

This library, at the very heart of Brussels (next to the

Théatre royal de la Monnaie Koninklijke Muntschouwburg) is the largest non-scientific library in the city centre.

Most or all municipalities in greater Brussels have a library.

Lost Property

If you lose something, first try to remember where you might have left it! If it is in:

Metro / Tram / Bus: contact STIB, Av de la Toison d'Or 15, 1060 Bruxelles. Tel.: 02/515.20.00

Train: particularly if you know the number and the destination of the train, the best thing to do is to call the next station along the line immediately. Tel.: 02/219.00.40

The Street: go to the nearest Police Station

How to tip in Brussels

Taxis: included in the fare

Hotels: service mostly included

Restaurants: included in the bill (any exceptions will be noted on the menu)

Public Toilets: 0,25€ 0,75€

Hairdresser: If not included, it's common to leave 1,50€

In theatres you are supposed to give something, usually 0,50€, when the usherette hands you your programme. You might be asked to tip (1,25€ or so) when leaving a club. This is obviously a Belgian particularity. Our advice is not to give these bouncers anything as they are already being paid by the club!

Embassies of the EU Member States in Brussels

The addresses and numbers of all embassies are listed in the Brussels phone book under "Ambassades". You can also find them on the Commission's Intranet.

Press

Written press:

Daily

• Le Soir (neutral, largest. Its weekly cultural programme list called Mad comes out on Wednesdays and its small ads on weekends)

• La Libre Belgique (Catholic)

• De Standaard (Flemish, Catholic)

• Het Laatse Nieuws (Flemish, Liberal)

• L'Echo (mainly covering financial and economic issues)

• La Derniere Heure/Les Sports (includes a 20 page sports section on Sundays)

• Het Nieuwsblad (Flemish, general information)

• Grenz-Echo (German)

Weekly

• Le Vif/l'Express (political, opinions)

• Pan (satirical)

• Humo (Flemish, T.V schedule)

• The Bulletin (for English speakers living in Belgium)

• BBB Agenda (cultural arts, shows)

• Der Kontakt (for German speakers living in Belgium)

• Pour (socialist)

• Telemoustique (French: complete TV listings)

Foreign newspapers are on sale in the Breydel, Charlemagne, Parliament, Council, Centre Borschette, around the RP Schuman, many metro stations, and in most large newsagents in Brussels and other Belgian cities.

Television and Radio

Belgium has a large variety of TV channels, many of them foreign ones like BBC, TV5, or ZDF. While the Flemish stations broadcast many programmes with English subtitles, the French ones do not. Cable TV is available in about 95% of all households, though what you can actually receive largely depends on where you live, as there are about 30 different cable operators in this country that don t always offer the same stations. The three main companies in Brussels are Coditel (Rue de Deux-Eglises 26, 02/226.52.00), Brutélé (Rue de Naples 29/31, 02/511.65.43, http://brutele.be), and UPC Belgium (Avenue Chazal 140, 02/240.08.00).

Cable TV in Belgium is relatively inexpensive: the installation cost is 22 € (plus a refundable deposit of 6 €). The subscription fees are around 120 €/year. To subscribe, either contact your landlord or one of the TV/Radio stores (e.g. in City2 at Metro Rogier).

As regards Pay TV, the country's only company is Be TV (French), which offers a large range of services as pay per view, special channels etc.

There is also a great variety of public as well as private radio stations in the Brussels area (about 20). Try Pure FM (88.8), Studio Brussels (100.6), or BXL (92) for great current music, and Vivacité for its French cultural programming.

Some frequencies of foreign language radio programmes include:

• BBC World service: MW 648 kHz (i.e. AM)

• BBC Radio 5: 909 AM, 693 AM

• Radio Flanders (Belgian news in English _ 9.30, 12.30, 19.30 & 22.00): 1512 AM

• Talk Sports (British & International sports, live commentary): 1053 AM-1089 AM

• BRF (German language Station): FM 95.2

Bookshops

• Tropisme Librairies, Galerie des Princes, 11 - 02/512.88.52 - info_tropismes.be - http://www.tropismes.be

• Waterstones, Boulevard A. Max, 71-75 - 02/219.27.08

• Sterling Books, Fossé aux Loups, 38 - 02/223.62.23

• The European Bookshop, Rue de la Loi, 244 - 02/502.57.51

• FNAC, City 2, Place Rogier - 02/209.22.11

• Pêle-Mêle, Rue Maurice Lemonnier, 55 - 02/548.78.00

• Anticyclone des Acores, Rue Leopold, 27 - 02/217.52.46

• La Route de Jade, Rue de Stassart, 116 - 02/512.96.54

• Peuples et Continents, Rue Ravenstein, 11 - 02/511.27.75

• Maison des Langues Vivantes, Rue des Pierres, 9 - 02/511.71.17

• Il Libro Italiano, Chaussée de Wavre, 354 - 02/230.06.74

• Librairie de Rome, Rue Jean Stas, 16a - 02/511.79.3

• Librairie Toison d'Or, Av. de la Toison d'Or, 40-42 - 02.511.64.0

• Scientific and Technical, Rue de Termonde, 140-142 - 02.468.00.74

• House of Paperbacks, Chaussée de Waterloo, 813 - 02.343.11.22

Places of Worship

Most churches in Belgium are Roman Catholic. The closest to Berlaymont are the St. Michael's College on Boulevard St. Michel (Metro Montgomery) and the Foyer Catholique Européen at Rue de la Loi 221,1040 Brussels (M. Emilio BENEDETTI - Tel. 02/230.39.38).

Catholic

• Chapel of the Resurrection, Van Maerlant 22-24, 1040 Brussels

A multilingual Catholic mass held the first and third Sunday of the month at 19:00.

• Cathédrale Saint-Michel et Gudule, Parvis Ste Gudule, 1000 Brussels

• Notre Dame du Sablon, Rue de la Régence 3b, 1000 Brussels

• Saint-Nicholas, Bourse, 1000 Brussels

• Notre Dame de la Chapelle, Place de la Chapelle, 1000 Brussels

• Saint-Jean Baptiste au Beguinage, Place du Béguinage, 1000 Brussels

• Eglise de la Madeleine, Gare centrale, 1000 Brussels

Protestant

• The United Anglican Church (Church of England), Rue C. Crespel 29, 1050 Brussels

• Eglise Evangélique d'Uccle, Rue Beeckman 26a, 1180 Brussels

• St. Andrew's Church (Church of Scotland), Chaussée de Vleurgat 181, 1050 Brussels

• International Protestant Church, Kattenberg 19, 1170 Brussels

• Eglise Batiste, Rue Dautzenberg 42, 1050 Brussels

• Eglise Evangélique Slave, Rue du Conseil 4, 1050Brussels

Jewish

• Synagogue Principale, Rue de la Régence 33, 1000 Brussels

• Synagogue, Rue Dethy 73, 1000 Brussels

Orthodox

• Russian, Avenue de Fré 19, 1180 Brussels

• Greek, Avenue de Stalingrad 3, 1000 Brussels

Islamic

• Islamic Centre, Parc du Cinquantenaire 14

Mormon

• Church of Christ and the Latter Day Saints, Romeinsesteenweg 504, Strombee

Transportation

Metro, buses and Trams

Brussels has underground lines crossing the capital, which stop at about 60 stations. Included in the pack you received at your welcome meeting is a map of the public transport system. These can also be obtained free of charge at any metro station. Timetables for all bus, tram, and metro routes are featured on the STIB website www.stib.be.

Transport does not run 24 hours a day. The last metro from the city centre (place De Brouckère) leaves at about 12.30 am. The metro and most tram and bus lines start running again between 5 am and 6 am. During the weekend (Friday and Saturday night) 14 night-bus lines connect the city centre to all the communes of Brussels until 3 am (ticket price: 2€, although you can now also take the noctis at no extra charge if you have a monthly ticket).

STIB (Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles / MIVB: Maatschappij voor het Intercommunaal Vervoer te Brussel) is the Brussels City Transport Authority and is responsible for the capitals entire underground, bus, and tram network (15, Avenue de la Toison d'Or, 1060 Brussels, tel.: 02.515.20.00, www.stib.be). The main office is open 8:00h-19:00h on weekdays and 8:00h-16:00h on Saturdays. For Flanders (de Lijn), telephone 02.526 2828, for Wallonia (le TEC), telephone: 010 480404. There is also a new information centre called "de Brouckère", 31 Rue de L'Evêque, 1000 Brussels which is open Mon-Sat 10h00-18h00, Tel: 02.515.30.32.

Tickets:

Single (one jump) tickets cost 1,80€ and can be bought from metro ticket offices or machines - or in the case of trams and buses, from drivers (the price in the vehicle is 2€ and exact change might be required). Tickets are valid for up to a maximum of one hour of travel on any combination of modes of transport, including trains within Brussels. Be sure to validate your ticket every time you travel. It works out cheaper to buy a five-journey ticket for 7,30€ or a ten-journey ticket for 12.50€. You can also buy a daily (4.50€) or three-day ticket (9.50€).

Bus line 12 - Airport Express runs from Place du Luxembourg through Schuman and along Rue de Geneve. It costs 3€ (5€ if you buy a ticket in the bus) to get all the way to the airport and it is not covered by abonnement (see below). Up to date information on bus travel to Zaventem airport can be found on http://www.mivb.be/airport-line.html?l=en

For stagiaires at Rue de Geneve, you can use this bus to get to your office by showing your monthly abonnement.

You can also get monthly passes ("abonnement") at a price which depends on whether you are under or over 25 years old. You can buy it at Agence de Brouckère, Porte de Namur/Naamsepoort, Roodebeek, Rogier or Midi metro stations (for the "carte client" you will need your ID, 2 passport photos and exact change). The monthly ticket, which goes with it, can be purchased in most newsagents and press shops or at the counter of major metro and train stations and it costs 45,50 € per month or 35,50 € if you are under 25. Please see http://www.stib.be/abonnements.html?l=en for further information regarding monthly passes.

Bus Lines 21 and 22

Bus lines 21 and 22 link most of the Commission buildings, except for those on the Beaulieu site. This service is free for officials and, of course, stagiaires, upon presentation of your service card. These buses run roughly every 15 minutes all week from 6h00-20h50. The timetables can be found on the notice boards in the lobby of your building, on IntraComm (Eurobus), at all relevant bus stops or can alternatively be obtained from the Brussels transport company (STIB 02.515 20 00). The STIB website www.stib.be also contains up to date timetables of these lines.

Don't know how to reach your destination? The STIB website can also help you find the shortest route.

Also, please think twice if you are planning to travel here in Brussels without a ticket! Inspectors with dogs perform regular checks on all modes of public transport and will fine you over 80€ if you do not have a valid ticket. A second offence will cost you 180€ and a third 360€.

Taxis

Taxi ranks can be found at Rond Point Schuman, near train stations, at central points in town as well as near important hotels, theatres, concert buildings and cinemas. Since 1975, tips are included in the fare. You should pay about 2,40€ minimum during the day and 4,40€ at night. From around Grand' Place to Schuman expect to pay about 10€.

Some useful telephone numbers (more can be found in the Yellow Pages):

Taxis Bleus 02.268.00.00

Taxis Verts 02.349.49.49

Taxis ATR 02.647.22.22

Taxis Tour 2000 02.537.10.10

Collecto is a taxi service available every day from 11pm to 6am in the entire Brussels Capital region. It's very flexible: you board at any Collecto stop and you alight at any point in the region. Collecto's cost 6 euros per person per journey and STIB users only pay 5. See www.collecto.org for more info.

Trains

Belgium has the highest density of railroads in the world.

There are five main stations in Brussels, three of which are international: GARE DU NORD/NOORDSTATION/North Station; GARE CENTRALE/CENTRAAL STATION/Central Station; GARE DU MIDI/ZUIDSTATION/South Station. All Intercity (IC) and Interregional (IR) lines pass through these stations. The Eurostar to London St Pancras International and the Thalys to Paris or Amsterdam leave from the Gare du Midi/Zuidstation (www.eurostar.com, www.thalys.com).

Tickets must be bought in advance from travel agencies, international counters in major train stations, by phone or via the web (0900/10 177 on weekdays between 7h00 and 21h00 and on Saturdays between 9h00 and 17h30). You can save a lot of money if you book well in advance (two weeks ahead or longer). For inquiries on arrival and departure times as well as fares call 02.555.25.25 for national travel, or 02.528.28.28 for international travel, or go to the SNCB /NMBS internet site at www.b-rail.be.

The Belgian railways often have special deals for weekends away in Belgium. The tourist offices are unlikely to know much about these, so contact one of the main railway stations mentioned above, or ask a rail package travel agent for the excursions brochure or the railtour minitrips brochure.

SNCB/NMBS, Public Relations Department, Rue de France 85, 1070 Brussels, 02.203.36.40

The B-Tourrail, B-excursion, Train+Vélo, Billet Weekend, Go Pass, Rail Pass, etc.

Go Pass:

If you are under 26 you can buy a 10-journey ticket which allows you to travel between any two stations within Belgium and costs only 50€ second class.

Rail Pass:

Same concept as the Go Pass if you are over 26. The pass costs 74€ for journeys in second class, and 114€ for journeys in first class.

Weekend Ticket:

If you commence your journey on a Friday after 8pm and return by late on Sunday evening you can save a substantial amount (more than 40%).

Airport Express:

The Airport City Express connects Brussels with Brussels National Airport (Zaventem). The journey takes about 16 minutes (depending on exactly which station you leave from) and costs 5€ single (8.05€ return) for second class or 6.25€ single (10.75€ return) for first class. The price does not depend on one's age or whether or not one is a student. Trains run from Brussels South, Central and North Stations. During the week, the first train leaves Brussels South at 4h48 (4h50 at weekends) and thereafter there are three trains an hour. The last train leaves Brussels South at 23h12 (23h23 at weekends). The complete schedule of IC/IR trains and the Airport City Express is available in the brochure « IC/IR de poch/Treinwijs » at all stations.

Bicycles

Contrary to its northern neighbour, The Netherlands, Belgium is not a bike-friendly country. Be very careful when cycling in Brussels, as drivers have a tendency to be blissfully unaware of other road users.

You can buy a second hand bicycle at the Sunday morning market at Boulevard du Midi (beware of pickpockets). You can also hire one at the Gare de Groenendael for a ride through the Bois de la Cambre or to discover the Belgian countryside in the Ardennes. A bike costs about 10€ per day (plus deposit) from Cycles C.Y.D, 14 avenue E. Pirmez, 1040 Bruxelles. You can also try Maison des Cyclistes. Rue de Londres 15, Bruxelles. 02.502.73.55 www.provelo.org

You can also use Commission bicycles which you can usually find in the building's garage. Ask the security guards at reception to direct you to where they are stored. The Commission bikes are free of charge, but mainly intended for work-related travel. The use of service bikes is limited to the day-time and must be returned before 8pm (i.e. you may not take them home with you in the evenings or at the weekends).

You can also utilise the Villo self-service system and rent a bike fairly cheaply in one of the Villo stations. The first 1/2 hour is free. See http://en.villo.be/ for further info on rental rates etc.

You can also profit from the Villo self-service system and rent a bike in one of the Villo stations. You can buy a day ticket for 1,50€, a seven day ticket for 7€.

The first 1/2 hour is free. The second 1/2 hour costs 0,50€. Beyond: 2€ by 1/2 hour of overtime. These expenses are directly deducted from the bank card. Abonnements are free until the end of the year!

For more information, visit the villo webpage: www.villo.be

Contrary to its northern neighbour, The Netherlands, Belgium is not a bikefriendly-country. Be very careful when cycling in Brussels, as drivers have a tendency not to watch out for other road users.

Flights

The Brussels National (Zaventem) airport internet site www.brusselsairport.be provides information about airport services and in particular about all flights leaving Brussels.

Information can be obtained by telephone on the following numbers:

Information on flights and airport services: 0900/70000

BIAC (Brussels International Airport Company): (+32.2) 753.42.00

There is a second airport in Charleroi, known as Brussels-South Airport. This is where Ryanair, Wizzair, EasyJet and other low-cost flight companies operate from. It is located 46 kilometres from Brussels and is linked to the city by over 20 daily shuttles. The cost of a single ticket is around 15€ (around € 25 return) and you can buy it inside the bus. The bus drops you off at Gare du Midi in Brussels.

You can also order a door-to-door shuttle to get to and from any destination in Brussels, but it this is far more expensive. Brussels-South airport currently serves over 50 destinations. For more details check their website: www.charleroi-airport.com

Cars

Some stagiaires prefer to pool their financial resources and buy a car for the duration of the stage - an option to consider. Contact any Brussels car dealer or check in the Vlan (Newspaper), Le Soir (Newspaper) and the IntraComm advertisement board.

Car Rentals

• AVIS, Rue Américaine 145; Tel: 02/537.12.80; Ch. de Louvain 1084; Tel: 02/724.06.35

• HERTZ, Boulevard Lemonier 8; Tel: 02/706.41.11

• EUROPCAR, Avenue Louise 235; Tel: 02/640.94.00

Traffic Regulations

Remember it is "Priorité de droite": give way to vehicles coming from the right unless you are on a main road (a priority main road is indicated by a yellow triangle sign). All drivers must give way to trams. Buses also have priority on all roads and will pull out DIRECTLY in front of you even when you are in the process of overtaking them at a bus stop. Please be careful of these rules, many foreign drivers have accidents because of them.

When driving you must always carry with you: identity papers, driver's licence, insurance card (green), car registration card (red if registered in Belgium ), and accident report form.

Maximum Speeds

• Motorways and 4 (or more) lane highways: 120km (75mph)

• Out of town/secondary roads: 90km (55mph)

• In town: 50km (37mph)

The driver and all passengers in all cars registered in Belgium must wear seat belts. Travellers in foreign registered cars must wear seat belts if the car is fitted with them. Exception: pregnant women or when there is a serious medical reason.

You should completely refrain from drinking if you plan to drive. Any driver who has a level of alcohol in their blood equal or higher than 0.05% is judged to be under the influence of alcohol and is liable to prosecution. If the breath test is positive, the driver is not allowed to drive further, their driving licence may be taken away and a blood test may be taken. Legal action can be severe.

WARNING: while travelling through Belgium, you will notice that road signs and maps do not always correspond. This is because of the different linguistic communities e.g. Antwerpen/Anvers, Bergen/Mons, Luik/Liège, Lille/Rijsel etc. It is very easy to get lost if not aware.

Touring Secours: in case of a breakdown in the Brussels area or in the Wallonian Brabant region, phone 02/233.22.11 between 06h45 and 23h00. There are also permanent patrols on the highways. In case of breakdown on a highway call 02/233.22.11. SOS Depannage (Royal Belgian Automobile Club): Rue d'Arlon 53, 1040 Bruxelles, Tel: 02/287.09.00

Medical

Medical

Doctors, clinics and hospitals

The choice of a doctor or dentist is entirely up to you. A list of general practitioners, specialists, homeopathic doctors, chiropractors, osteopaths etc. can be found in the Yellow Pages under the heading « professions libérales/ vrije beroepen docteurs en médecine/ doctors in de geneeskunde ».

The Community Help Service Helpline (02.648.40.14) can provide a list of English-speaking practitioners and the German helpline IBS has a list of doctors that speak German (02.768.21.21).

To look for a doctor in Brussels, check the website www.mgbru.be. There you will find, among other information:

•Addresses and phone numbers of GPs (General Practioners) in Brussels (search via the map) please note that most doctors speak English

•All of the Emergency Numbers

•Additionally, there's a 24h helpline for the Brussels area (02.479.18.18 in French or 02.242.43.44 in Dutch) that provides information on general practitioners currently on duty.

During weekends, the names of doctors on duty are listed on the front door/ windows of local chemists/ pharmacies. Some doctors who have signed up to certain official agreements (conventionnés) apply rates which are linked to the level of mutuelle refunds. [N.B: in Belgium, health insurance is mandatory and employees join mutuelles - mutual health insurance schemes that refund medical costs either partially or fully (depending on the type of service)]. Doctors are, however, free to charge their own fees, which in some cases are much higher.

It is better to ask about charges in advance!

If you have opted for the medical insurance offered by the Commission through the Van Breda insurance company, you will receive details of the cover provided from the Bureau des Stages. If you have decided to use the option of the European Health Insurance Card to cover your medical insurance and need to claim back medical expenses, you should register with a Belgian "mutualité". There is a range of different types of "mutualité": socialist, Christian, liberal and neutral. Some large insurance companies also have a "mutualité" department. They are listed under Mutualités/ Ziekenfondsen in the Yellow Pages.

If you have your own health insurance and you need to register with a "mutualité" to get your expenses reimbursed, check the website below:

www.inami.fgov.be/fr/contacts/index.htm

For both types of insurance cover, you will have to pay the bill and then claim reimbursement by providing proof of payment.

Those trainees that have opted for the medical insurance provided by Van Breda can choose to extend their medical coverage with them for a maximum of 6 months following their traineeship. This is done by filling in and submitting a Prolongation Form - available from https://www.vanbreda-international.com/VBI/MICROSITES/EU-Trainees/EN/INTRODUCTION/WELCOME.htm but please note that this must be arranged before the end of your traineeship and also that the cost of coverage is higher in the period following your traineeship.

All stagiaires are automatically subscribed to an Accident Insurance policy which is compulsory. You will receive your Accident Insurance card at the Administrative Welcome.

In case of emergency, please contact ACE Assistance (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) at 00 32 2 541 91 31. Please note that this insurance is not provided by the same company as the Health Insurance. This is particularly relevant when making claims as the forms and the companies you have to send them to are different.

Further information can be found on http://www.cc.cec/stages/trainee/financial/accident_en.html and http://www.cc.cec/stages/trainee/financial/medical_en.html#Insurance.

For further inquiries, please contact your gestionnaire/ file manager.

Birth control & advice

• La Famille Heureuse, Avenue de Parc 89, 02.537.11.08 , 1060 Saint-Gilles

• Planning Familial Plan F, Rue de Guildes 22, 02.230.58.47

• Collectif contraception-santé, Avenue des Celtes 34, 02.736.13.14, 1040 Etterbeek

Dentists

Dental care in Belgium is of a high standard. For a list of dentists call 02.426.10.26. The Community Help Service Helpline (02.648.40.14) can provide a list of English-speaking practitioners. A list of dentists can also be found in yellow pages or on www.yellowpages.be. The weekend dental clinic has the number 02/535.40.55.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are open from Monday to Friday from 9.00 18.00 or 19.00. Look out for an illuminated green cross. For emergency services in the evening and at weekends, chemists display a notice giving the name and address of the local chemist on duty outside of normal opening hours. Between 23:00 and 9:00 you can obtain a list of chemists working at night by calling 070.660.160 (free of charge).

Euromut Health Insurance

Euromut health insurance (a public health insurance provider) is apolitical and represented throughout Belgium. We stand out because of our expertise in international regulations and privileged relationships with those involved in the social security sector.

The international community is able to benefit from this and for many years we have been taking care of all requests. Our multilingual team makes sure that your needs are understood and answered, we provide a total commitment towards you.

Euromut and Stage Committee give you the opportunity to receive all necessary information about the Belgian health system. This mini-site link provides you the opportunity to:

- Obtain more information on the Belgian health care system

- Obtain more information on Euromut products

- Sign on to your file online via My Euromut

You have just arrived in Belgium and are in need of health insurance?

If you are on your own to handle this issue, a meeting can be arranged for at your office, please contact your Euromut account manager.

You are already covered by another health insurance provider but wish to receive personalized information on Euromut or explore the possibility of changing health insurance provider?

Obtain more information via our website or make an appointment at your office by contacting your Euromut account manager.

Complete a Request for registration (Euromut document)

Provide us with a copy of your European health insurance card

Send your reimbursement claims to our head office:

Euromut Head Office

Boulevard Louis Mettewie laan 74/76

1080 Bruxelles/Brussel

Contact your Euromut account manager:

Tel0477/98.34.57

Emailaurelie.steinbach_euromut.be

Contact our Business Customer Care department for follow up on your Euromut file:

Tel02/44.44.700 (from 9AM to 4PM)

Emailcompanies_euromut.be

Housing

Click here to enter the password-protected Housing Area

NEW! The protected area now also includes job offers!

Brussels is neither Paris nor London! Accommodation can be found, and if you are prepared to look for it and to compromise a little along the way, you will definitely find something worthwhile. Prices vary - close to the Commission/EU area prices tend to be higher and the standard a little less luxurious. However, as many of you will come to realise, there is a whirlwind of social activity in this area because there are so many stagiaires living close to each other. Nonetheless, the areas a little further away should not be overlooked, as they are often considerably cheaper and still well easily reachable by public transport.

You'll probably find yourself paying anything from around 350€ per month upwards, with most stagiaires paying on average between 350-550€. You should be prepared to pay one or two months rent as a guarantee (deposit) and it is a good idea to enquire beforehand as to the exact conditions of being paid back the deposit when you leave as landlords sometimes try to take advantage of your imperfect French!!! Most landlords try to make you pay the deposit in cash. It is advisable, however, to instead open a joint blocked bank account in your and the landlord's name (this is common practice in Belgium).

Do not expect to receive your grant payment immediately.

The money you bring with you has to last for at least the first month!

(We seriously hope it is not too late to tell you this!!)

The Stage Committee has been working on an electronic housing database that can be accessed by going to www.stagecommittee.org and then clicking on the Housing/ Jobs button at the bottom of the homepage. The password is reserved for the stagiaires and can be found in the Trainees Guide 2011 that you received in your Welcome Pack. However, it is important to note that although the Liaison Committee does its utmost to ensure that only reliable ads are posted, it cannot vouch for individual properties or landlords - it only acts as a forum of information for the stagiaires.

If you are offering accomodation, please do so following these guidelines:

TITLE: e.g. Studio Flat in Etterbeek

DESCRIPTION: e.g. Recently renovated flat. Furnished. Kitchen with all appliances. etc

PRICE: e.g. 800 euro per month (including all charges) - specifying all extra charges if not included (e.g. 30 per month for electricity)

DATES: e.g. Free from X date / Availability only for 12 month contract

CONTACT DETAILS: email / phone

New trainees can access the list of ads with the password provided to them by the Traineeships Office. The password is located within one of the pdf files that were sent to you as part of the contract email. In the attached file called "Living in Brussels" is a link called "Accommodation". When clicking on that link (not on the direct link leading to the stage committee website), you get to another pdf file, which contains more information on housing, including the id and password.

Some other tips

Be careful with false ads!

Sometimes you may find some ads that advertise very nice rooms asking you to pay in advance and send the money to an international account. Be careful when dealing with landlords just by email and make sure it is a real ad.

Use Facebook!

The Facebook group always has some offers, and is an informal way to find a good room. Plus, you can ask other stagiaires about their experiences regarding living in Brussels!

Prices vary a lot

Close to the Commission/EU the prices tend to be higher and the standard a little less luxurious. Yet, as many of you will come to realize, there is a whirlwind of social activity in this area because there are so many stagiaires living close to each other. However, the areas a little further away should not be overlooked, as they are often considerably cheaper and still well connected with cheap and efficient transport. You could find yourself paying almost anything from around 300 € per month upwards, with most stagiaires paying on average between 350-550 €. Be prepared to pay one or two months' rent as a guarantee and it is a good idea to find out the exact conditions of the guarantee beforehand as landlords sometimes try to take advantage of the imperfect knowledge of the French language. Also although sometimes your charges are included, be careful not to waste water and electricity, otherwise the bills are going to be higher and the next intern who will take your place will pay more rent.

Most landlords...

...try to make you pay the guarantee deposit in cash. You should, however, open a joint blocked bank account in the slandlord's and your name (this is common in Belgium). The Stage Committee also has a model of contract for your information in both French and in English. Do not expect to receive your grant payment immediately. The money you bring with you has to last the first month!

You can find more information about housing at:

The local press: Le Soir, The Bulletin (an English language magazine, which tends to advertise fairly expensive accommodation) and Le Vlan (free newspaper distributed in francophone communes). The weekly paper Vlan, which mainly contains advertisements, can also be found on the web: www.vlan.be/immobilier/indeximmo.asp

Maps

Culture

Sports

Useful Tips

Security

You will be safest in bright, well-lit and busy areas.

Try to look and act confident, look like you know where you are going.

You might like to spread your valuables around your body. For example, keep your phone in your bag, your house keys in your trouser pocket and your money in your jacket.

If someone tries to take something from you, it may be better to let them take it rather than to get into a confrontation and risk injury.

If you use a wheelchair, keep your things beside you rather than at the back of the chair.

Try not to be conspicuous about the valuables you are carrying. Talking on your mobile phone, carrying a laptop, or showing your friend your new gold ring all show thieves that you are worth robbing.

When out walking or jogging, you should not listen to a personal stereo through headphones, so you can stay more alert to your surroundings.

As with everything, you are safest where there are other people, and where it is light or well lit.

Plan your route.

Try to wait in busy or well-lit areas.

Sit near other people, near the driver if you are on a bus, or near the conductor if you are on a train.

Move if someone makes you feel uncomfortable.

If you are going to be out late, try to arrange a lift home or ook a taxi. Check that the taxi that arrives is the one you ordered.

If you can pre-book your taxi, make a note of the company you are using and the phone number, and leave it with a friend.

Always keep the number of a reliable firm handy.

Avoid minicabs or private-hire cars that tout for business and are unlicensed.

Always sit behind the driver in the back seat.

If you feel uneasy, ask to be let out in a well-lit area where there are plenty of people.

If in any doubt, dont get in the taxi.

Access to EU

Luxembourg

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