Comments

You have commented 375 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Europe

The European Commission have shut off air conditioning for employees in their Brussels headquarters, while leaving the AC on for themselves

2026-06-27

[EUGYPPIUS: a plague chronicle] This toaster-themed building is the Berlaymont, and as the enormous gaudy banner on the front suggests, it is the headquarters of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. The Berlaymont is in Brussels, and Brussels is in Europe, where the weather has been unseasonably warm, with daytime temperatures rising well above 30C (or 90F).

Happily, the Berlaymont has air conditioning, unlike many hospitals and care homes in Europe. Unhappily, the Berlaymont air conditioning system seems not to work so well in the heat, and so the European Commission felt compelled to turn it off — but only for lowly employees of the Commission. Commissioners, including Ursula van der Leyen, continue to enjoy cool air in their own offices.

From Politico:

The European Commission’s headquarters was forced to shut down its air-conditioning system on Friday due to the heat wave.

Staff working at the Berlaymont building received a text at midday, reading: "BERL — URGENT — Due to extreme weather conditions, forced shut down of air cooling system from floor 1 to 7 for the rest of the day."

The 13-story building is home to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, her 26 commissioners and about 3,000 staff. Von der Leyen works on the 13th floor, and most of her commissioners’ offices are housed on floors eight or above.

Belgium and much of Europe have been sweltering for the past week, with record-breaking temperatures.

As temperatures climbed earlier in the week, the Commission provided "guidance" from their cool air-conditioned offices to sweltering employees who do not deserve to be as comfortable as them, suggesting that these lesser people should try "avoiding going outside at the hottest times of day, drinking water regularly and starting work earlier."

Posted by:Besoeker

#5 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: trailing wife 2026-06-27 23:58

#4 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: DarthVader 2026-06-27 20:32

#3 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: Skidmark 2026-06-27 16:38

#2 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: DooDahMan 2026-06-27 15:06

#1 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: Besoeker 2026-06-27 14:51

00:00