Flemish Community Commission
Encyclopedia
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the Flemish Community Commission) is the local representative of the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The VGC depends on the Flemish Parliament
Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
, and its council is made up by the members of the Dutch linguistic group of the Brussels Parliament
Brussels Parliament
The Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region , is the governing body of the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium...
, whereas its executive is made up of the two Flemish ministers and the Flemish secretary of the Brussels-Capital Government.
The VGC was established by the special (constitutional) law of 12 January 1989.
The VGC has competencies for cultural, educational, well-being and health for Flemings in Brussels. It reaches and estimated 200.000 inhabitants of Brussels with its services, mostly Dutch-speakers, and a significant number of migrant
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
s. However, several of these competencies are rather limited in practice, e.g. it has not the slightest authority for hospitals.
Strictly legally speaking, the VGC is only competent for institutions depending from the Flemish government, and not for individual persons. This was a consequence of the fact that no formal Flemish citizenship was established.
The VGC is the successor from the Nederlandse Commissie voor de Cultuur van de Brusselse agglomeratie (NCC) (in Dutch), established in 1971. The VGC also assumed all Flemish community-specific responsibilities in Brussels from the former province Brabant when it was split up.
See also
- Brussels ParliamentBrussels ParliamentThe Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region , is the governing body of the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium...
- Common Community CommissionCommon Community CommissionThe Common Community Commission is responsible for community matters that are common to both the French Community and the Flemish Community and for institutions that fall within the competencies of the Communities but do not belong exclusively to either Community in the Brussels-Capital Region of...
- French Community CommissionFrench Community CommissionThe Commission communautaire française is the local representative of the French-speaking authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium....
(COCOF)