Officials Review €20 Million Plan for Monthly Scaffolding Dismantling at EU Parliament
Officials in the European Parliament are assessing a €20 million proposal that involves dismantling scaffolding each month to keep the debating chamber accessible during renovation work, according to The Telegraph.
The refurbishment plans focus on the Paul-Henri Spaak building in Brussels. One option under discussion by the Bureau, the Parliament’s governing body, is to keep the Hemicycle debating chamber open throughout the three-year renovation. A document states:
“Maintaining additional part-sessions on the construction site would require special arrangements to be made before and after each session to ensure safety, access, and support.”
The project is expected to last between six and twelve months, with a budget of approximately €20-22 million. Sources indicate that keeping the chamber open would necessitate dismantling the scaffolding every month for use by debating MEPs.
However, internal documents suggest that the plan is not final, as other alternatives are being considered. One alternative would involve keeping the chamber closed while debates take place via a digital connection between two meeting rooms. Commenting on the proposal, Anders Vistisen, a Danish MEP and chief whip for the Patriots for Europe group, stated:
“The notion of scaffolding being erected and dismantled every month for just one day’s work is utterly absurd.”
He further remarked:
“It would be like a scene in a Benny Hill comedy sketch. But when it’s not their personal money, MEPs are content to spend it freely.”
Another option under consideration is a complete move to the EU Parliament seat in Strasbourg.
Belgium’s Role in the Parliament’s Location Debate
Belgium has emphasized that Brussels should maintain its fair share of debates, as outlined in EU treaties. The EU Parliament has long faced criticism over the so-called “travelling circus,” where MEPs and staff relocate to France each month for a week of discussions, costing nearly €100 million annually.
The Spaak building has been in use by the EU Parliament since 1993, and an internal audit in 2012 revealed that it required major renovations. Planning documents show that the structure does not meet EU green regulations or the “Eurocodes” for structural integrity. The reconstruction is estimated to cost up to €455 million, with completion expected by 2030.
Although there are plans to reopen the building in time for Belgium’s 200th independence anniversary, a start date for the renovations has not yet been confirmed.
Eurotoday is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. It provides independent coverage of international and European affairs, focusing on EU policies, politics, and significant developments in member states, all from a European perspective.
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