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Super Mario Bros meets House of Cards: the European Council's badge system Super Mario Bros meets House of Cards: the European Council's badge system
(35 minutes later)
When they arrive at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels for a crucial summit on Thursday, Angela Merkel, David Cameron and the 26 other EU leaders will have no need of a badge. They will be given a pin instead. It provides access to all areas, including to an undisclosed safe room in the remote case of an emergency (a bit like in Homeland. Or Josh Lyman’s nuclear emergency card in the first series of The West Wing).When they arrive at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels for a crucial summit on Thursday, Angela Merkel, David Cameron and the 26 other EU leaders will have no need of a badge. They will be given a pin instead. It provides access to all areas, including to an undisclosed safe room in the remote case of an emergency (a bit like in Homeland. Or Josh Lyman’s nuclear emergency card in the first series of The West Wing).
Everybody else involved in the European Council (Euco) meeting has to make do with a badge. How good that badge is – how many doors it will open and how many floors of the building remain off-limits in spite of it – is largely communicated by its colour. Gold, for instance, gets you to the “80th floor” (which, depending on how you count it, is actually the seventh floor). This is where you want to be. It is where stuff gets decided. But the most important perk is access to the VIP meals. No gold, no party.Everybody else involved in the European Council (Euco) meeting has to make do with a badge. How good that badge is – how many doors it will open and how many floors of the building remain off-limits in spite of it – is largely communicated by its colour. Gold, for instance, gets you to the “80th floor” (which, depending on how you count it, is actually the seventh floor). This is where you want to be. It is where stuff gets decided. But the most important perk is access to the VIP meals. No gold, no party.
Like everything in Brussels, there’s a power structure, and not only is it complicated, it’s colour-coded. Here’s how it works.Like everything in Brussels, there’s a power structure, and not only is it complicated, it’s colour-coded. Here’s how it works.
During Euco meetings, normal access badges to the building – even regular diplomatic ones – don’t work. All participants are issued with special badges, and the type of badge decides which parts of the building - and which meetings – you can access. The number given to each country’s delegation is set and, while the total may vary slightly, we know – thanks to Marton Hajdu, former spokesperson of the Hungarian permanent representation in Brussels – what was allocated to one particular EU government at a previous Euco meeting: During Euco meetings, normal access badges to the building – even regular diplomatic ones – don’t work. All participants are issued with special badges, and the type of badge decides which parts of the building – and which meetings – you can access. The number given to each country’s delegation is set and, while the total may vary slightly, we know – thanks to Márton Hajdú, former spokesperson of the Hungarian permanent representation in Brussels – what was allocated to one particular EU government at a previous Euco meeting:
Anyway, back to that colour-coding. If you’re lucky enough to have gold, and, with it, access to the 80th floor, there’s the VIP dinner – one feature of which is that there is no note-taking. A tighter confidentiality regime applies on this floor of the building, and this is where, on Thursday evening, Cameron will lay out his plans for renegotiating the terms of Britain’s membership of the EU. Anyway, back to that colour-coding. If you’re lucky enough to have gold, and thus access to the 80th floor, there’s the VIP dinner – one feature of which is that there is no note-taking. A tighter confidentiality regime applies on this floor of the building, and this is where, on Thursday evening, Cameron will lay out his plans for renegotiating the terms of Britain’s membership of the EU.
Ambassadors and their antici (jargon for powerful assistant and scribe) have red badges. One peculiarity of the Euco system is that note-taking during meetings often takes place in a separate room. Ambassadors and their “antici” (jargon for powerful assistant and scribe) have red badges. One peculiarity of the Euco system is that note-taking during meetings often takes place in a separate room.
A level below these are the blue and grey badges used by delegation members (usually including the permanent representative) and admin personnel. They spend most of their time on the “50th floor”, which includes meeting rooms, delegation rooms and the presidency room. A level below these are the blue and grey badges used by delegation members and admin personnel. They spend most of their time on the “50th floor”, which includes meeting rooms, delegation rooms and the presidency room.
After that it gets more complicated. Alongside the regular badges each country delegation also gets a number of floaters. These work like the mushroom power-up in Super Mario Bros: participants with a floater are temporarily of bigger status until the floater is taken away from them. After that it gets more complicated. Alongside the regular badges each country delegation also gets a number of floaters. These work like the “power-up mushroom” in Super Mario Bros: participants with a floater are temporarily of bigger status until the floater is taken away from them.
A gold floater works with red or blue badges and allows access to the much coveted 80th floor. A delegation usually gets two of these. A gold floater works with red or blue badges and allows much-coveted access to the 80th floor. A delegation usually gets two of these.
The red L floater only works with a blue badge and gives access to the leaders’ lounge. The red floater also works with a grey badge but it gives access only to the 50th floor.The red L floater only works with a blue badge and gives access to the leaders’ lounge. The red floater also works with a grey badge but it gives access only to the 50th floor.
At the foot of the House of Lanyards are badges for drivers, and yellow ones used to access the briefing areas and press rooms.At the foot of the House of Lanyards are badges for drivers, and yellow ones used to access the briefing areas and press rooms.
If you do have a badge, and find yourself lost in the Justus Lipsius building, here’s a handy reminder of where everything is:If you do have a badge, and find yourself lost in the Justus Lipsius building, here’s a handy reminder of where everything is:
Level 02: VIP entrance. This is at the back of the building where the convoys can drive in.Level 02: VIP entrance. This is at the back of the building where the convoys can drive in.
Level 00: Schuman entrance. This is the main entrance.Level 00: Schuman entrance. This is the main entrance.
Levels 0x is dedicated to the press area with each floor having a number of “national press briefing rooms” for use during regular days and council days. During Euco days, bigger, more attended press conferences move to level 20. Levels 0x is dedicated to the press area with each floor having a number of “national press briefing rooms” for use during regular days and council days. During Euco days, bigger press conferences move to level 20.
Level 10: offices, meeting rooms, technical areas. Level 10: Offices, meeting rooms, technical areas.
Level 20: offices, meeting rooms, technical areas. Also used for bigger press conferences at Euco. Germany, the UK and France, for example, speak here, but so does Hungary. Level 20: Offices, meeting rooms, technical areas. Also used for bigger press conferences at Euco. Germany, the UK and France, for example, speak here, but so does Hungary.
Level 35: conference centre. Usually Coreper I councils (meetings between deputy ambassadors) are held here. Level 35: Conference centre. Usually Coreper I councils (meetings between deputy ambassadors) are held here.
Level 50: Coreper II meetings (the Antici group meetings – which are comprised of ambassadors’ assistants, a top European commission official, a member of the private office of the head of the Council of Ministers’ secretariat and a member of the council’s legal service) and formal sessions of Euco take place here. This floor also leads to the offices of the president, and has a room where notes are taken while ambassadors meet (in an adjacent room). This level also has a bar.Level 50: Coreper II meetings (the Antici group meetings – which are comprised of ambassadors’ assistants, a top European commission official, a member of the private office of the head of the Council of Ministers’ secretariat and a member of the council’s legal service) and formal sessions of Euco take place here. This floor also leads to the offices of the president, and has a room where notes are taken while ambassadors meet (in an adjacent room). This level also has a bar.
Level 60: offices and more meeting rooms. Level 60: Offices and more meeting rooms.
Level 70: delegation rooms of the member states – complexes of usually four or five rooms, including a smaller “VIP room”, a secretariat, and meeting/work spaces. Level 70: Delegation rooms of the member states – complexes of usually four or five rooms, including a smaller VIP room, a secretariat, and meeting/work spaces.
Level 80: VIP/protocol level with capacity for at least three simultaneous seated catering events, including lunches and dinners of the heads of state/government.Level 80: VIP/protocol level with capacity for at least three simultaneous seated catering events, including lunches and dinners of the heads of state/government.