Three new members appointed to the Brussels-Capital Urban Planning College

The Government of the Brussels-Capital Region appointed three members of the Urban Planning Board by a decree of October 22, 2026, published in the Belgian Official Gazette on November 4, 2026, under reference C − 2026/008121 (p. 59213-59214). The designated persons are Anne Marcus Helmons, Emmanuel Bouffioux, and Marcelle Rabinowicz. The text, signed by Minister-President B. Dillies, enters into force on the day of its publication in the official journal.

A two-tier legal basis

The decree is based on Article 12 of the Brussels Code of Spatial Planning and the decree of the Executive of the Brussels-Capital Region of June 29, 1992, regarding the urban planning board. These two texts establish the framework within which members are designated and determine the appointment conditions that candidates must satisfy.

The government specifies, in its recitals, that the three selected candidates effectively meet these conditions, both with regard to the Brussels Code of Spatial Planning and the 1992 decree.

A double list presented by the Regional Parliament

The procedure features an institutional peculiarity: the government does not alone provide the list of candidates. The Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region presented, during its session on July 17, 2026, a double list of candidates intended to fill three vacant mandates within the Urban Planning Board.

The government then made its selection from this list, upon the proposal of the minister in charge of Urban Planning. The three appointments published this November 4, 2026, therefore correspond to these three vacant seats.

• Anne Marcus Helmons
• Emmanuel Bouffioux
• Marcelle Rabinowicz

The three names appear in Article 1 of the decree, in both the French and Dutch versions of the text, where the Board is referred to as the “Stedenbouwkundig college”.

Six-year term and immediate entry into force

Article 2 of the decree sets the duration of the mandate: members of the Urban Planning Board are appointed for six years. The three new holders are therefore installed for a full cycle, which contrasts with the interim designations or partial renewals experienced by other regional advisory bodies.

Article 3 specifies that the text enters into force on the day of its publication in the Belgian Official Gazette, namely November 4, 2026. Article 4 entrusts the execution of the decree to the minister responsible for Urban Planning.

No provision of the decree provides for a transitional regime for outgoing members: the publication closes the vacancy of the three mandates and immediately opens the six-year terms of the new members.

Scope of the decision

The appointment of three members at once, from a double list submitted by the Regional Parliament in July, confirms the renewal pace of the Urban Planning College and the Parliament’s role in the composition of this body. For stakeholders in Brussels’ spatial planning — permit applicants, consultancy firms, municipalities, and associations —, the composition of this instance is now stabilized for six years, providing long-term visibility for one of the links in the regional urban planning system. The publication in the Moniteur belge on November 4, 2026, constitutes the sole act officializing these three appointments.

• Moniteur belge, November 4, 2026, decree of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region of October 22, 2026, appointing three members of the Urban Planning College, ref. C − 2026/008121, p. 59213-59214.