The N-VA demands access to the decisions of the Conference of Brussels Mayors

Every two weeks, all 19 French-speaking Brussels mayors meet in the Conference of Brussels Mayors. However, exactly what is discussed and decided there usually remains behind closed doors. Officially, this is because the Conference “is not an official Brussels body”. “It’s total nonsense,” say Brussels MP Mathias Vanden Borre and Flemish MP Karl Vanlouwe. “The Conference is a shadow government with a lot of influence.” They are taking steps to obtain access to the decisions of the Conference.

The Conference of Mayors is a de facto association without legal personality and therefore has no transparency obligations. Unfortunately, it also gratefully makes use of this. “Consultation between local authorities is desirable and necessary, of course, but this so-called shadow government does have considerable influence on regional policy, and that is problematic,” Vanden Borre states. The Conference sometimes deliberately delays or blocks the decision-making process, often delaying addressing important challenges. For example, it is blocking the rollout of the regional parking policy.

Shadow government

The Conference also disregards the applicable transparency obligations. In October, following a decision by the Conference of Mayors of 24 May 2023, Flemish MP and municipal councillor Karl Vanlouwe was told that the municipal council of Ganshoren would enter into a partnership with Child Focus. “That’s when the alarm bells started ringing for me,” states Vanlouwe. “I have nothing against collaborating with Child Focus, but here I received proof in black and white that decisions were made and upheld outside the supervision of the competent democratic bodies. We cannot allow 19 French-speaking mayors to rule here as a shadow government without democratic and Dutch-speaking participation and scrutiny.”

The law is clear

Although previous complaints by the N-VA against the Conference were dismissed by the mayors, Vanlouwe thinks it is feasible to get a positive response from the Committee for Access to Administrative Documents. “The legislation is clear: all information held by administrative authorities, in whatever form, must be made public at the request of a municipal councillor or MP in Brussels. Information shared at the Conference of Mayors is information that is available to the mayor, as the head of the administrative authority, and that must be shared.”

Major consequences

Mathias Vanden Borre is therefore looking forward to the outcome of the appeal, because the ruling can have major consequences. “I requested the Conference’s 2022 activity report last month, but I have not received a response. If we are successful in this case, all previous documents regarding decisions taken in Brussels must also be shared. That way, we will force mayors to finally step out of the shadows. I wonder what else will come to light,” Vanden Borre concludes.