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Region of Brussels-Capital (Belgium)

Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale

Flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital - Image by "SiBr4" (Wikimedia Commons)

Flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital
Former flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital (1991-2015)
Community Commissions of the Region of Brussels-Capital

See also:

Flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital

Official description of the flag

The flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital (photo), adopted on 9 January 2015 by the Parliament of the Region, is prescribed by an Ordinance promulgated on 12 February 2015 by the Executive of the Region and published on 19 February 2015 in the Belgian official gazette (text), pp. 13,743-13,746, as follows:

Article 2.
Article 2 of the Ordinance of 16 May 1991 establishing the emblem and the flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital shall be substituted by the following:
"Article 2. The emblem and the flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital are blue, charged in the center with an iris with yellow petals and a grey heart outlined in white."
Article 3.
Article 4 of the same Ordinance shall be substituted by the following:
"Article 4. The colour and black-and-white representations of the emblem and of the flag are those shown on Appendices 1 to 3, attached to the present Ordinance, whose originals, with the graphic norms for reproduction, shall be kept at the Belgian official gazette, and the certified copies at the Clerk's Office of the Region of Brussels-Capital.
Article 4.
In the same Ordinance, Appendices 1 to 7 shall be substituted by Appendices 1 to 3 attached to the present Ordinance.

Appendix 1 features the colour version of the flag, with the following comments.

The Region of Brussels-Capital has adopted as its emblem and flag a symbolized representation of the iris pseudoacorus, aka march iris. A cross section of the flower is featured, showing two outer, symmetrical petals surrounding two inner petals forming an outlined heart. The length of the flag is 1.8 the hoist.
Colour		    Pantone      C   M   Y   K       R   G   B	   HEXA	    RAL
			     			 		
Blue (field)	    Blue072  	100  85   0   5     10   0 190	  0900BD   5022 
Yellow (petals)         102  	  0   5  93   0    255 242   3    FFF202   1018
Grey (heart)	100% of 421  	 16  16  13  20    184 184 186    B9B9BC   7004	
              or 65% of 423  			 		

Prescribed variant of the flag - Image by Jürgen Krause (Wikimedia Commons)

Appendix 2 features the "black and white variant on a white background".
References:
Flower's petals: Black
Flower's heart: White
Outline around the heart: Black

Prescribed variant of the flag - Image by Jürgen Krause (Wikimedia Commons)

Appendix 3 features the "black and white variant on a black background".
References:
Flower's petals: White
Flower's heart: Black
Outline around the heart: White

The new flag, inaugurated on 1 March 2015, should progressively replace the old flag on all official buildings.

Ivan Sache, 23 April 2016

Meaning of the flag

Sander Vermeulen, another graphic designer at the Base Design agency, explained that the two bright yellow petals represent "open-mindedness and dialogue between the inhabitants of Brussels and the Region".
The heart symbolizes a town open to the world, in strong opposition to the old emblem that nobody could identify and understand. Several people could not even identify a flower, believing the emblem represented a bag of fries. Vermeulen added that the typography of the new emblem was inspired by the Art Nouveau architecture, typical of Brussels The colours recall those of the European Union, Brussels being its capital.
[Brussels Life, 9 March 2015]

Ivan Sache, 23 April 2016

Adoption of the flag

The new flag and emblem were presented in a Bill tabled on 2 October 2014 at the Parliament (text). The Preamble explains that the change in the corporate image of the Region was initiated on 12 July 2012 by the Government. The new communication should be based on the thematic "be. Brussels" and a modernized version of the iris.

Rejected variants of the flag - Images by Jürgen Krause (Wikimedia Commons - left, center, right)

A preliminary version of the Ordinance was submitted to the State Council, which included six variants of the flag and emblem.
Appendix 1 features the flag.
Appendix 2 features a "colour variant on a white background". The petals are blue, the heart is yellow, and the outline is grey.
Appendix 3 features a "colour variant on a yellow background". The petals are blue, the heart is white, and the outline is grey.
Appendix 4 features a "colour variant on a grey background". The petals are yellow, the heart is blue, and the outline is white.
Appendix 5 features a "black and white variant on a white background".
Appendix 6 features a "black and white variant on a black background".

In the report released on 17 October 2013, the State Council pointed out several legal issues. In Paragraph 4. the Council pointed out that the description of the flag was not compliant with the rules of heraldic terminology, and that the size and placement of the graphic elements were not specified in the Ordinance.
The Bill eventually presented to the Parliament did not address the issues raised in Paragraph 4. The three colour variants were deleted, leaving only the colour flag and two black and white variants.

Ivan Sache, 23 April 2016

Reactions to the flag

While the previous flag had been unanimously adopted in 1991, the new flag stirred some local controversy. It was adopted in the Parliament with 43 pros against 30 cons, while another 3 MPs abstained from voting, including Bernard Clerfayt (FDF), member of the governing majority.
Armand De Decker, spokesperson of the MR (opposition) announced that his party would table in every municipality of the Region a Bill rejecting the new flag.
[7 sur 7, 9 January 2015]

The designer of the new emblem, Thierry Brunfaut, a graphic designer at the Base Design agency (profile), explained to the French-speaking public radio RTBF that this is not a nice flag. He added that he had be commissioned to design a logo for a city marketing campaign and was never told the design would end on a flag.
Renaud Huberlant, Professor at the Ixelles Graphic Research School, found the new emblem quite dull, heavy, and lacking dynamics.
[Brussels Life, 9 March 2015]

Ivan Sache & Jonathan Dixon, 23 April 2016

Former flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital (1991-2015)

Official description of the flag

Flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital, 1991-2015 - Image by Mark Sensen, 28 November 1999

The former flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital (photo, photo, photo) was prescribed by an Ordinance adopted on 16 May 1991 and published on 10 September in the Belgian official gazette, p. 19,828.
The Bill (text) was tabled on 27 February 1991 by Serge Moureaux, Armand De Decker, Didier van Eyll, Nathalie de T'Serclaes, Marie Nagy, Walter Vandenbossche, August De Winter, and Michiel Vandenbuscche

Article 1.
The Region of Brussels-Capital shall have for emblem the iris.

Article 2.
The flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital shall be blue with a yellow iris outlined in white.

Article 3.
The flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital shall be hoisted over the buildings belonging to the Region, in the same conditions and on the same days as the Belgian flag.

Article 4.
The colour and black and white representations of the emblem and of the flag shall be those shown in Appendices 1 to 7 to the present Decree, whose originals, with the graphic standards for reproduction, shall be kept by the Clerk's Office of the Council of the Region of Brussels-Capital.

Article 5.
The present Decree shall come into force on the day of its publication in the Belgian official gazette.

Appendix 1 shows the rectangular flag, with the following caption: "The length shall be 1.5 time the hoist. The blue background Pantone 280. The inner part of the flower in yellow Pantone 116. The outline shall remain white."
Appendices 2-7 show different colour and black and white versions of the emblem.

Ivan Sache, 18 November 2009

History of the flag

The "Developments" section of the aforementioned Bill, preceding the text and the images, says that the Council of the Region of Brussels-Capital quasi unanimuously adopted the iris as a symbol of the Region on 17 October 1990, requiring the Council's Increased Board to propose a graphic chart for the emblem.
The members of the Increased Board approved the iris as the emblem of the Region. The species of iris with big yellow flowers, in English the yellow or flag iris (Iris pseudoacorus) is called marsh iris both in French (iris des marais) and Dutch (moerasiris); Brussels was once known as a marshy place where the yellow iris grew. Moreover, the iris is found in several pictures of Brussels or made by artists from Brussels. In the antiquity, the iris already had a symbolic value, since Iris was the gods' messenger, transported on a rainbow. The iris does not allude to a specific municipality of the Region Brussels-Capital and cannot be confused with the emblems of the State or other entities. Flowers are common elements in heraldic and vexilllogic representations.
To highlight the role played by Brussels in the European construction, the colours of the Region's emblem and flag should be the same as of the European Union flag, that is blue and yellow.

The website of the Region Brussels-Capital once explained that Brussels originates in the Carolingian town of Bruocsella, set up in the valley of the Senne, a river than meandering through marshes. The yellow iris could have grown in that place.
The iris flower was used to decorate the scepter of Charlemagne's followers, including Charles of France (953-991?), appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine by Emperor Otto II in 977 and considered to have founded Brussels in 979. However, Belgian historians have recently considered this as a legend, mostly because no archeological remains of the castle built by Charles have ever been founded in Brussels.
Yet another legend relates how the iris-planted marshes helped the Dukes of Brabant in the 11th-12th centuries. Knowing that iris grows only in shallow waters, the duke's riders could easily cross the marshes while the enemies got stuck when running after them. The yellow iris can still be seen in the valley of Vuylbeek, located in the old forest of Soignes.
On 5 March 1991, the Council of the Region of Brussels-Capital lanched a contest for the design of the iris emblem. The design proposed by Jacques Richez was eventually selected by the Council.

The EuroBru website once explained that the choice of the marsh iris predates the creation of the Region of Brussels-Capital. In 1924, R. Cornette wrote that "this flower was chosen because it grows in the marshes, recalling that the capital was funded on the marshy banks of the Senne and its tributaries (Maalbeek, Roodkloosterbeek, Geleytsbeek, Vuylbeek, Kerkebeek, Leybeek,...).

Ivan Sache, 10 November 2009

Bill to change the flag

On 27 April 1993, Stéphane de Lobkowicz and Jean-Paul Dumont tabled at the Council of the Region of Brussels-Capital a Bill to modify the flag, published in the Belgian official gazette on 7 July 1993.

Article 1.
The Region of Brussels-Capital shall have for emblem an iris inscribed in a circle made of 12 five-pointed stars and surmounted by the Royal Crown of Belgium (Figure 1).

Article 2.
The flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital shall be blue with a yellow iris outlined in white, surrounded by a circle made of 12 yellow five- pointed stars (Figure 2).

Article 3.
The flag of the Region of Brussels-Capital shall be hoisted on the public buildings belonging to the Region, in the same conditions and on the same days as the Belgian flag.

Article 4.
The use of the former flags and emblems of the Region of Brussels-Capital shall be permitted during a period of three years after the day of effect of the present decree.

Article 5.
The present Decree shall come into force on the day of its publication in the Belgian official gazette.

Figure 2 attached to the Bill is square but the staff is not represented, as it is on the to be changed Ordinance, therefore the proportions of the flag were probably not intended to be changed from 2:3 to 1:1.

The "Developments" section of the Bill, preceding the text and the images, recalls that the Bill on the flag and emblem of the Region, tabled on 27 February 1991, proposed to adopt the European colours (blue and yellow) for the new flag. Accordingly, the new Bill proposed to increase the European character of the flag by adding the 12 stars, also recalling that the Treaty of Maastricht (12-13 December 1992) had recently officialized Brussels as the main seat of the European institutions.
Regarding the emblem, the Bill proposed to add a crown to highlight the belonging of the Region to Belgium, as it was already the case for the emblem of the German-Speaking Community and of the Council of the French Community.
A three-year transition period with the former and new symbols being legal was proposed to avoid discarding all the existing material showing the obsolete symbols.

Stéphane de Lobkowicz kindly confirmed by email that the Bill was not passed.

Ivan Sache, 10 November 2009