One of the region's MEPs has revealed he was in the Brussels underground station shortly before it was rocked by an explosion.
Richard Howitt, Labour MEP for the Eastern Region, tweeted he had been using Maelbeek Metro station - one stop from the European Parliament buildings - just before the blast.
He tweeted: 'There's been 2nd #Brussels bomb exploded at Maelbaek Metro station which I used 30 mins ago. I'm safe. Parliament rightly proceeds as normal,'
He later posted that the European Parliament was in lockdown, but that he was safe. He had earlier said: 'We stand in silence but now proceed with vote in parliament. Democracy must always win.'
At least 21 people were killed and many more injured after terrorist bomb attacks on the main airport and the Metro system in Brussels.
The coordinated attacks came as the Belgian capital was on high alert following the arrest of Paris atrocity suspect Salah Abdeslam in the city last week.
A suicide bomber struck near the American Airlines desk at the airport, with local media reporting that shots were fired amid shouting in Arabic.
The explosion on the Metro was near European Union buildings and the US embassy.
Conservative MEP Vicky Ford tweeted: 'Thank you for all messages - I'm ok but thinking of those who are not. Staying inside with team, extra security.'
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