Overview
- Staff at the Berlaymont headquarters were told by an urgent message on Friday that air cooling would be forced off on floors 1–7 for the rest of the day while upper floors retained cooling.
- Lower-level employees reacted with anger and called the measure unfair, saying it left many workers uncomfortable even when some floors kept air-conditioning running.
- The shutdown occurred as a record heatwave hit Belgium and large parts of Europe, contributing to rail cancellations and power problems in other EU institutions.
- The Commission had already given staff guidance this week on reducing heat exposure, including avoiding peak sun, drinking water and shifting hours, but those measures did not prevent operational cuts to cooling.
- The episode underscores two risks to watch: rising electricity demand that can overload systems, and workplace equity problems when cooling capacity is limited in large public buildings.