In Brussels, at the headquarters of the European Commission, a scandal has erupted against the backdrop of a deadly heatwave sweeping the continent. On Friday, staff at the famous Berlaymont building faced extreme working conditions: the air conditioning system was forcibly switched off on most working floors. However, as it turned out, the organization's leadership remained in comfortable conditions.
"Feudalism" in the Heart of Europe
At noon, employees received an urgent text message with the code BERL. The message stated that due to extreme weather conditions, the air cooling system had been switched off on floors one through seven until the end of the day. This decision sparked an outburst of indignation among the personnel working in the lower parts of the building.
The problem is exacerbated by the building's architecture and the distribution of workspaces. The 13-story skyscraper houses the offices of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and 26 European Commissioners. The Commission President's office is located at the very top — on the 13th floor, while most commissioners' offices occupy the eighth floor and above. It is precisely these zones that retained functioning climate control.
Employees left without cool air are holding back no emotions. An official working on a lower floor compared the situation to feudalism, pointing out that the building's elite continued to work in the cool while others suffered from the stifling heat. Another interlocutor of Politico called the situation "shameful".
Temperature Record and Ignoring Recommendations
Even those who formally remained with working air conditioning do not feel comfortable. An employee working on the 8th floor reported that the temperature in his office reached 25.7 degrees, despite the cooling system being on.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the European Commission had previously issued recommendations for workers, which now appear sarcastic in light of the leadership's actions. Employees were advised to start work earlier, avoid going outside during the peak of the heat, and drink water regularly. Internal messages show that these tips angered the staff, in particular employees of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Infrastructure.
Heatwave "Omega" Paralyzes Europe
Events in Brussels are taking place against the backdrop of the "Omega" heatwave, which has engulfed the continent. Temperatures in several countries exceeded 40 degrees, leading to fatalities. European "greens" have already called for an emergency summit of EU heads of state and government to discuss response measures.
The problem of building cooling is not limited to Brussels. In London, due to a red weather warning, a major climate event at the London School of Economics was cancelled. The irony of the situation is that the conference was dedicated precisely to the topic of extreme heat. Organizers admitted in a statement: "There are no cooling systems at the venue, as in most buildings in London, and we cannot risk the well-being of speakers or guests".