Schuman Square in Brussels' EU quarter stands as a concrete expanse with little greenery or shade after the planned canopy was never built, leaving what was meant to be "an urban agora" as an embarrassing symbol of administrative failure at the heart of European institutions.
The redevelopment was launched 11 years ago to transform a traffic-clogged roundabout into a greener, calmer meeting place. Pascal Smet, a former Brussels minister for mobility who launched the project in 2015, said he was "disappointed, angry and sad" about the result. "Schuman Square is the carte de visite of Brussels. It is the symbol of Europe," he said from a cafe on the square. "This should be a meeting place for people." Francis De Wolf, the engineer-architect, said: "The project is not finished. It is very difficult for me to understand what has happened behind the scenes in politics."
The Budget Spiral
Work began in 2023, six years after the winning design had been chosen. By then, costs had spiralled because of high Europe-wide inflation stoked by the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war, city officials said. The budget was announced as €25m in 2023, with €17.4m from EU Covid recovery funds. The canopy alone saw its costs rise to €13m from €5m.
The square sits over an underground car tunnel, railway and metro station, and a maze of gas and water pipelines, which made the project difficult from the start. Planners also had to account for the security needs of the surrounding EU institutions and the square's use as a venue for frequent demonstrations. It lies within the security perimeter of the European Council building, the "space egg", which hosts regular summits of EU leaders.
Governance Paralysis
Brussels' political crisis deepened the problem. Power in Belgium is very decentralised, and regional governments, including Brussels, have wide-ranging controls over public works, most transport and urban planning. Brussels is a bilingual city with 14 parties in its 89-seat parliament. After Brussels elections 2 years ago produced no clear result, parties were deadlocked over a new government for the city of 1.2 million people. Big construction projects were put on hold and investments were frozen. A coalition led by a Francophone liberal minister-president finally emerged this year after a record-breaking 613 days of negotiations.
In the meantime, the caretaker government couldn't authorise new funds to pay for the higher costs of the canopy, but it also faced a deadline to complete the works in order not to lose EU funds. François Deschamps, a spokesperson for the Brussels minister for mobility and public works, Elke Van den Brandt, who has held the post since 2019, said: "So we were in quite a conundrum, because we did not have the right to put the money into the canopy."
Federal Intervention
The caretaker government appealed to the EU for a top-up 1 year ago. Belgium's prime minister, Bart De Wever, rejected the plea and denounced Brussels as "a failed state". De Wever, described as a fiscal conservative on a mission to bring Belgium's federal finances under control, argued that "begging" numerous European institutions for help was a national embarrassment.
Taking office in February 2026, the new Brussels government cancelled the canopy. Brussels is now in talks with architects to develop "something as green as possible within the building limitations of the square", possibly with water features, Deschamps added. The city hopes the square will be finished by the summer of 2028, with details on the plans promised by the end of the year.
The canopy was intended as the crowning glory. Planners imagined EU officials and local people lunching and chatting under its shelter, which was modelled on the European parliament's semi-circular chamber, the hemicycle. Tourists were expected to flock to the landmark and take selfies in its mirrored reflection. The green roof was meant to contrast with the surrounding glass and steel EU buildings and offer respite from the sun, especially after the record-breaking heatwave that hit Belgium in June. It was also meant to shelter people from Brussels weather, where it rains about 200 days a year.
Smet continues to argue for the canopy, while more than 2,100 people have signed a petition launched by the Brussels branch of his Flemish socialist party calling for its construction. He said: "If you can imagine something better, that allows demonstrations, [deals with] security issues, is green, is iconic, is symbolic for European unity … if the alternative is better, I will not say no."
Why This Matters:
The Schuman Square debacle illustrates the governance challenges facing Europe's capital at a time when the EU's credibility depends on demonstrating competence. A project meant to symbolise European unity instead showcases administrative paralysis, budget mismanagement, and the consequences of Belgium's fragmented political system. The failure to complete what should have been a straightforward urban redevelopment raises questions about Brussels' capacity to manage complex infrastructure projects — particularly relevant as the EU pushes member states to implement ambitious climate and digital transitions. De Wever's characterisation of Brussels as "a failed state" may be politically charged, but the 613-day government formation and inability to secure funding for a €13m canopy suggest serious structural problems. The square's completion now delayed until 2028 means the EU quarter will continue to present an unfinished, uninviting face to the millions of visitors and workers who pass through annually. For a city that hosts the institutions governing 450 million Europeans, the inability to finish its own front door is an uncomfortable metaphor.