Support from Europe

In addition to Brussels’ development ambitions, the mediapark.brussels media cluster project is also consistent with European economic objectives. It reflects the desire for growth that is smart, sustainable and inclusive set out in the ‘Europe 2020’ European economic strategy and included in the majority agreement of the Brussels government for 2014 to 2019.

Sector with potential that will create additional employment for the future

In view of the importance of telecommunications, images and digital technology in the development of our societies, the media is a sector with potential that will create additional employment for the future – long-term jobs of both a skilled and relatively low-skilled character.

With the creation of a specific training provision and specialised schools and the forging of links between training courses and companies in the sector, the media cluster will meet the demand for skilled jobs and the needs of people in Brussels to receive training and gain a foothold in the job market. It will thus be able to boost inclusive economic growth. The media cluster also fits closely with the prioritisation of smart growth based on innovation, research and technological development. Thanks to its clustering approach, it will bring together a series of activities and facilities in order to create synergies and cross-sectoral cooperation and set up a momentum favourable to innovation across the media sector. Finally, the concentration of activities from the same sector will facilitate the emergence of a circular economy and enable certain facilities and energy costs to be pooled, car journeys to be reduced and so on.

ERDF project 2014-2020

On 21 May 2015, the Urban Development Agency (ADT-ATO) was therefore granted funding by the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region of 12.5 million euros to support the formation of the media cluster and to build the ‘Media House’, within the framework of the 2014-2020 program of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Early 2017, following the reorganization of the regional institutions in charge of territorial development in Brussels, the Urban Development Corporation (SAU-MSI) took over the steering of this project.