Brussels’s biggest removal?

Date: 10/11/04

THE European Commission faces a "huge task" next week moving more than 500 officials and tonnes of furniture into its newly refurbished Berlaymont headquarters in the space of just one weekend.

If, as expected, the MEPs vote next Thursday (18 November) to approve the revised Barroso Commission then a massive removals exercise will swing into action.

The nominated commissioners, their cabinets and their furniture will have to be moved to the Commission's headquarters in order to allow the executive to take up office the following Monday (22 November).

At present, the 25 commissioners-designate in José Manuel Barroso's revamped team are scattered in and around Brussels in separate offices. Whereas during the Commission of Romano Prodi, commissioners were housed with their departments, Barroso has decided that the commissioners should be grouped together in the Berlaymont.

André Mambourg, assistant director in the Commission's office for infrastructures and logistics, said: "We had everything in place to move in the first weekend of November but this had to be suspended.

"The delay was, of course, unexpected but, if nothing else, it allowed us to complete everything, such as office decoration, in the Berlaymont in readiness for when the new commissioners and their staff do eventually move in."

The new commissioners will be spread over floors 9-12 with Barroso on the top floor.

So far, about 1,000 staff have moved into the Berlaymont, including the legal, press and security services, and most of the secretary general directorate, he said.

"I expect it will be the end of the year before the Berlaymont is fully occupied."

Following parliamentary approval the new European Commissioners are all expected to move into the Berlaymont building in Brussels on 20 and 21 November 2004. Under President Romano Prodi Commissioners had been based at their departments.