EU Parliament: Strasbourg “red zone”. Plenary session to take place in Brussels

Since the City of Strasbourg, where the European Parliament is headquartered, has been declared a red zone, the next plenary session of the European Parliament, originally scheduled from 14 to 17 September in the Alsatian city, will take place in Brussels instead. “The seat of the European Parliament is Strasbourg, this is laid down in the Treaties that we want to respect”, said David Sassoli, who has been in close contact with the French and Strasbourg authorities in these days to see if it was possible for the plenary to be carried out in Strasbourg as scheduled. “We have done everything to resume the normal course of our plenary sessions” in the French city. “However, the resurgence of the pandemic in many Member States and the decisions taken by the French authorities to classify the entire Lower Rhine department as a red zone, obliges us to reconsider the move to Strasbourg. While we are very disappointed about this decision, we have to consider that the transfer of the administration of the European Parliament would entail quarantine for all staff upon their return to Brussels”. Finally: “We are going through a difficult time and I am grateful for all the cooperation, availability and expertise shown by the City of Strasbourg, the health authorities, and the government. The European Parliament’s wish is to return to Strasbourg and we are confident that, in the face of a decline of the pandemic, this will be possible”. The next session will address important issues, and the State of the European Union debate, which will be presented by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will take place on 16 September.
Gianni Borsa