Accommodating internationals: Brussels commune of Schaerbeek offers services in English
In a move to accommodate foreign-born residents, civil servants of the Brussels commune of Schaerbeek have started assisting people in English, even carrying out weddings in the language.
The northeast municipality is home to around 165 nationalities, and as all communes in Brussels, must address the public in either French or Dutch. However, many of its citizens don’t speak these languages, which is why Schaerbeek recently decided to officially offer its services in English.
“When you were near the municipal counters, you always heard people translating texts from one of the many languages spoken here to French or Dutch” Quentin van den Hove, Schaerbeek councillor for citizens, told The Brussels Times.
“We have been speaking English with people in the commune for a while now without there actually being a framework for it, out of necessity more than anything else. Since the beginning of this year, you can now officially speak in English at the commune of Schaerbeek.”
All official documents handed over to residents must be in Dutch or French according to the 1966 Belgian Language Law, but the rules regarding the official spoken languages are vaguer. “We find ourselves in a grey zone, which is why many municipalities have not yet taken this step.”
The inclusion of an additional language was not a big step for employees working at the commune. Instead, it was a reassurance, according to van den Hove. “They found it important that there was a framework for the use of another language.”
They opted for English, not because there are many British or American people living in Schaerbeek — some 490 British people and around 135 Americans live there — but because “English is the most international language today.”
Van den Hove referred to a study by technology federation Agoria which found that ex-pats in Brussels rate the city administration poorly, and stated that multilingual reception staff are needed to boost the image of the capital.
“Having worked for a multinational company myself, I think it’s very important to do this to keep our region attractive for everyone,” he said.
© BELGA PHOTO THIERRY ROGE: Illustration picture shows the Town Hall of Schaerbeek - Schaarbeek in Brussels region, Wednesday 26 August 2020.