Parliament forced to close debating chamber

Klaus Welle's email to staff

Temporary closure of Section A of the  Paul-Henri Spaak  Building    
   
In agreement with the President and the responsible Vice-President, I have taken the decision to temporarily close Section A of the Paul-Henri Spaak (PHS) Building.
   
This precautionary measure has become necessary after the discovery of cracks in three of the wooden beams carrying the roof of the plenary chamber, during checks made in the framework of our increased inspection and maintenance policy. The causes of the cracks could not be determined which makes the temporary closure of the Section A of the Paul-Henri Spaak building necessary until the source of the problem can be identified.
   
In the interest of our colleagues, this precautionary measure exceeds the partial closure that was recommended by the experts. All affected colleagues have already been allocated alternative workspaces, which will be furnished and equipped with computers and telephones by Monday afternoon at the latest.
   
In case of any questions or problems, an info point is open in the Yehudi Menuhin space (1st floor of Section C in the Paul-Henri Spaak Building).
   
I would like to thank colleagues from Directorates General INLO, ITEC and Security, who have made this immediate reaction possible.
   
Klaus Welle