EU Commission headquarters turns off air conditioning in lower floors

The European Commission's headquarters in Brussels shut down its air-conditioning system on floors one through seven yesterday after an urgent text message instructed staff to expect the change for the rest of the day. The 13-storey Berlaymont building houses the Commission president, 26 commissioners and about 3,000 staff.

The president's office is on the 13th floor and most commissioners work on floors eight and above, so those areas retained cooling.

Staff reaction One official on a lower floor told Politico the situation resembled feudalism. Another called it a disgrace. A staff member on the eighth floor reported indoor temperatures still reached 25.7 degrees Celsius even with the system operating.

The Commission had earlier advised staff to stay indoors during peak heat, drink water and begin work earlier. Employees in buildings without any air conditioning, including the agriculture directorate, expressed further frustration.

Wider heatwave effects In Belgium, one-fifth of trains run without cooling, leading the national rail operator to cancel some peak services. The European Parliament experienced power blackouts linked to high energy demand from its cooling systems. The heatwave stems from an Omega block weather pattern that traps heat over regions.

The same system produced the United Kingdom's hottest June day on Friday, with a provisional 37.3 degrees Celsius recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk. More than 1,000 schools in England closed and rail services faced widespread cancellations. m. Sunday for London, the South East, East of England and parts of the East Midlands.