Welcome to the Belgian Senate

Dear websurfer,

Belgium's Federal Parliament is made up of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament reflects the wide range of views held by the Belgian people. The Federal Parliament makes legislations that regulate the social relationships in our country. It also monitors the activities of the Federal Government.

As Chairman of the Belgian Senate, I hope the information we provide on the World Wide Web will contribute to greater openness as this is essential to parliamentary democracy.

Sabine de Bethune,
Chairman of the Belgian Senate

Film Parliament

Visitors are shown a 20-minute film introducing the Senate and Chambers of Representatives.

This film is also available online to download and view.

You can choose between the English, Dutch, German and French language versions of the film.

For the hard of hearing there is also a fully subtitled version in each of the above-mentioned languages.

Brochures about the federal parliament
The *Federal Parliament of Belgium* (pdf or html) This survey made by the Senate Legal Service is designed to give you in-depth information on the Parliament's organisation and activities, on the legal status of the Members of Parliament and on the election, dissolution and composition of the Federal Chambers.

The Visitors guide This booklet will lead you through the Federal Parliament, if you visit us during one of our Open House Activities.

Fact sheets about the Federal Parliament
The relationship between the Federal Parliament and the community and regional councils The composition of the Senate Responsibilities of the Senate Parliamentary election Results of the legislative elections of 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2010 Parliamentary committees of inquiry Federal advisory committee on European Affairs

Belgian Senate's Rwanda parliamentary commission of inquiry
Chapters 4 and 5 of the report of the "Belgian Senate's Rwanda parliamentary commission of inquiry"

Reports of international seminars held in the Federal Parliament
30-31 May 2002	Digitisation of parliamentary information and archives by the ECPRD : Double seminar Brussels 2002 - The Hague 2003
13 November 2001	*The Senates and the Quality of Legislation* ( pdf - html ) by the Association of European Senates
6-7 November 2001	*The Parliamentary Dimension of the European Security and Defence Policy* ( pdf - html ) by the ESDP
2-3 July 2001	*The European Security and Defence Policy* ( html - pdf ) by the ESDP