EGMONT PACT

(1977)

   The Egmont Pact was an agreement reached among Belgian political parties to establish three regional councils for Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia as well as three community councils for the Dutch, French, and German language groups. A regional government to assume the powers of the agglomeration was envisioned for Brussels. It was never established because of a lack of political will to resolve nettlesome issues surrounding the status of Brussels, which the Flemish Christian People's Party sought to reduce to a lower standing than that of the other two. Much of the detailed work, except for the Brussels provisions, formed the basis for the constitutional reform of 1980. The pact is named for the chateau where negotiations took place.

   See also Federalization.