History
Bruegel's original concept stemmed from private discussions involving policy-makers, business leaders and other individuals from several European countries in late 2002. The project was endorsed and officially floated by French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder at the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty in January 2003. Former European Commissioner Mario Monti and economists Jean Pisani-Ferry and Nicolas Véron were instrumental in Bruegel's creation. Bruegel was legally formed in August 2004 and started operations in early 2005.
The Board was successively chaired by Mario Monti, who remains Bruegel's honorary president (2005-08); Leszek Balcerowicz (2008-12); and Jean Claude Trichet (since April 2012).
Bruegel moved to its current premises, on Rue de la Charité / Liefdadigheidsstraat 33 in central Brussels, in April 2005.
Bruegel explains its name as a tribute to Pieter Bruegel, the 16th-century painter whose work epitomizes unvarnished and innovative depictions of life in Europe. It can also be read as a reference to a "Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory", even though Bruegel does not consider its name to be an acronym.
Read more about this topic: Bruegel (institution)
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