EU policy/Big Fat Brussels Meeting

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A call for participation was sent out in February asking interested wikimedians to meet for a weekend in Brussels to constitute an EU Policy Advocacy group. The first eleven interested participants agreed on meeting on the 6th and 7th April in Brussels. This page aims to provide useful information to participants.

Venue[edit]

mundo b
Rue d'Edimbourg / Edinburgstraat 26
1050 Elsene, Brussels
mundo-b.org

How to get there.

Tucked in between the European Quarter and the Old Town, mundo b is a coworking office building hosting a number of NGOs and and nonprofits focusing mainly, but not solely, on ecological issues. It offers meeting rooms, a cafetaria and bio-catering.

Getting Around[edit]

Public Transportation[edit]

The cheapest way to get around, except for walking or biking, is by public transportation. The buses, trams and subway lines in the region of Brussels are operated by STIB/MIVB. To plan journeys you can simply use Google maps as they have the public transport connections integrated. Here's are the connections airport-Bourse/Beurs and Gare du Midi/Zuidstation-Bourse/Beurs.

Tickets may be bought at vending machines at the stations, inside the vehicle (surcharge) and at specialised shops called BOOTIK/KIOSK/GO.

  • single fare ticket costs €2 (€2.50 in the vehicle)
  • 1 day ticket costs €6.50
  • 72h ticket costs €14 (also valid for the aiport bus lines 12 and 21)
  • Airport bus line ticket costs €4 (€6 inside the vehicle)
  • Airport train ticket costs €7.80 (one-way to/from Centrale, Midi or Nord)

More details on the STIB/MIVB website

NB: The yellow/white busses are operated by the transport authority of the region of Flanders De Lijn. Different tariffs apply.


Taxi[edit]

From TripAdvisor:
There is a minimum charge of EURO 2.35 during the day and EURO 4.21 at night. Average price per km is 1 EURO in Brussels. The price of the trip, displayed on the meter, includes the service charge.

According to the Brussels Airport website the price of a fare to the centre will be around €45.

Bicycle[edit]

Brussels is not renown as a bicycle friendly area. The region does offer bike hiring services, but they require prior registration and the issuing of a special card.

Walking[edit]

Walking is always cheap and healthy. If you manage to stay in some place in the inner city walking to the venue should not take you longer than 20 minutes. An examplary walk from the Grand Place/Grote Markt to the venue takes 22 minutes according to Google Maps.

Accommodation[edit]

Everyone will be arranging their own sleeping place. Of course participants are free to group themselves.

If you want to let other people know about your plans feel free to share your comments here or use the mailing list. If you want Dimi to book a hostel/hotel for a group, please organise and let him know.

  1. add name and comment

Agenda[edit]

  • Issue and urgency definition
  • Explaining the Brussels bubble and its inner workings
  • Formulating policy goals
  • Deciding what organisational structure best suits our goals, needs and capabilities
  • Formulating organisational and infrastructural goals
  • Discussing the division of labour of the working group
  • Representation and Brussels lead
  • Setting up tools and agreeing on methods of communication

Participants[edit]

The original list of participants was generated while looking for a date. Please add your name here if you are going to participate and a preferred method of contacting you (if not user talk page):

  1. Effeietsanders (talk) 14:09, 12 March 2013 (UTC) - email would be best, happy to share phone number with those that ask for it.[reply]
  2. trmtalk 14:50, 12 March 2013 (UTC) email[reply]
  3. Dimi_z
  4. Alice Wiegand (talk) 22:32, 12 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Jan Engelmann (WMDE) (talk) 10:48, 13 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Laurentius (talk) 11:57, 18 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  7. Romaine (WMNL) 17:59, 18 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Lilli Iliev (WMDE) 17:12, 19 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  9. Nicole Ebber (WMDE) (talk) 15:21, 26 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  10. Psychoslave (talk) 14:55, 12 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  11. Siim Tuisk 20.00 31 March 2013 (UTC) email: siim@tuisk.ee
  12. Anna Lena Schiller (Facilitation)
  13. Maëlig
  14. Your name here

Schedule[edit]

Friday - 5th of April
Early Comers Welcome Soirée
Meeting at the Brussels Stock Exchange on the stairs at 18:30

Day 0 Brussels, beer and politics in theory and practice
organised by Dimi


If you're interested in attending the Friday evening event please put your name here and share your thoughts, whishes or questions:

  1. Dimi z (talk) 14:36, 3 March 2013 (UTC) Just meet and have some fun. Nothing official.[reply]
  2. Likely. SPQRobin (talk) 14:21, 7 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  3. --Jan Engelmann (WMDE) (talk) 14:23, 7 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  4. --trmtalk 16:35, 7 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  5. --Psychoslave (talk) 14:55, 12 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Romaine (talk) 17:32, 12 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  7. Laurentius (talk) 11:57, 18 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Interested but arriving too late to make it to the stairs. Alice Wiegand (talk) 18:32, 18 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  9. --Lilli Iliev (WMDE) 17:00, 19 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  10. Nicole Ebber (WMDE) (talk) 15:22, 26 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  11. Definitely interested, but unsure if I'll be on time. There should be some folks who have my phone number to text me where they are going to if I don't make it in time :) Effeietsanders (talk) 14:48, 2 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  12. Your name here

Saturday - 6th of April
First meeting day
At mundo-b conference room. All day with lunch and coffee breaks.


---PRELIMINARY DRAFT, TIMES AND TOPICS MAY CHANGE AND ARE FLEXIBLE, FEEL FREE TO MAKE PROPOSALS---

Day 1 Brussels and the Wiki
politics, policy issues & goals
10:00 Walk-in, coffee
10:30 Welcome words, organisational details, (explaining Brussels-Bubble)
11:00 Welcome to the Copyright Wars. Joe McNamee from "European Digital Rights" (based in Brussels) explains the current policy issues.
12:00 Let's get to know each other! Participants present themselves and their topics of interest.
12:30 What do you expect from this work group? How can it help you? How do you imagine it happening?
13:30 lunch break
14:30 Success stories and experiences on the national level. What can we learn?
15:30 Proactive advocacy: Defending Free Knowledge is fine. But what would you want to achieve?
17:00 Contact person, liaison between chapters and politics.
18:00 Conclusion of day 1, perspective on day 2
20:00 Dinner in a fancy restaurant



Sunday - 7th of April
Second meeting day - half day


---PRELIMINARY DRAFT, TIMES AND TOPICS MAY CHANGE AND ARE FLEXIBLE, FEEL FREE TO MAKE PROPOSALS---

Day 2 Something Wiki'd This Way Comes
group organisaton, technological solutions and coordination
10:00 Walk-in, coffee
10:30 How to organise the work group? (feat. the question of "authority")
12:00 “Liquid Lobbying”: Which level of transparency is practicable? Which technological tools and communication channels best suit our goals?
13:30 Future plans and follow-up meetings (online and offline).
14:00 Conclusion and fare-well

Meeting Documents[edit]