ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the social security in the city of Antwerp and provides a concise profile of this urban region. It deals with possible causes of feelings OF insecurity within the city of Antwerp and the related spatial behaviour of local inhabitants. The multimodal transport junction Antwerp is prominently situated within the European core triangle made up by the Paris, London and Randstad regions. It is also well positioned in relation to the Ruhr Area. Antwerp functions as employment centre for the region. Obstacles to further economic development are the lack of space for new activity, the greatly increased traffic congestion, and the poor cooperation with the suburbs in the functional Antwerp region. The administrative situation of the municipalities in Belgium has changed somewhat during the last few decades because of the federalization process of the country. This means that competencies were redistributed, with a diminution at the national level and an enlargement for the regional level.
