EU Commission HQ forced to shut air-conditioning as heatwave hits Brussels

The European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters was forced to shut down its air-conditioning system on Friday due to the extreme heatwave sweeping across Europe, leaving staff sweltering.

Staff received a midday text message stating: "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-storey building houses Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, her 26 commissioners and about 3,000 staff. While lower floors lost cooling, upper floors — including commissioners' offices on floors eight and above — reportedly kept their AC running. One official called the situation "like feudalism," while another described it as a "disgrace."

Belgium and much of Europe have been enduring record-breaking temperatures for the past week. The Commission had advised staff to avoid going outside during the hottest hours, drink water regularly and start work earlier — advice that angered employees in buildings without air-conditioning.

The heatwave has reignited debate about Europe's lack of air-conditioning, with only about one-fifth of households having AC. In Belgium, one-fifth of trains lack AC, forcing the national rail company to cancel many peak-hour services. The European Parliament also faced blackouts this week due to energy consumption from its cooling system.

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