I think the Brussels office has been set up specifically to give Mr. Paul Verhoef a place from which to work. Whether or not that is a commecially sensible decision is something on which I would reserve judgment.

However, suggesting this is all a fiendish plan to off-shore ICANN and escape the clutches of USG is a bit far-fetched. If it is, this move would be out of the frying-pan into the fire. Rather better be in the clutches of the USG than Brussels and the EC - hardly known for their underregulation, and who are one of the few organizations that could give ICANN lessons on being dilatory (take the .eu launch slippage) and introducing organizational opacity; mmm... may be they'll be best buddies.