the third in the number of international conferences it hosts，also becoming one of the largest convention centres in theworld. The presence of the EU and the other internationalbodies has led to there being more ambassadors and journa-lists in Brussels than in Washington D.C. International schoolshave also been established to serve this presence. The '~in-ternational community" in Brussels numbers at least 70， 000people， if you count staff at the EU institutions， the Natoheadquarters and the diplomats， lobbyists and journalists whowork alongside them. In 2009， there were an estimated 286lobbying consultancies known to work in Brussels. Brussels serves as capital of the European Union， hos-ting the major political institutions of the Union. The EU hasnot declared a capital formally， though the Treaty of Amster-dam formally gives Brussels the seat of the European Com-mission （the executive/government branch） and the Councilof the European Union （a legislative institution made up fromleaders of member states） . It locates the formal seat of Eu-ropean Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg， wherevotes take place with the Council on the proposals made bythe Commission.
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