Next week’s plenary session will instead be held in the Belgian capital, Brussels. The closure comes after the British government said it would not close the Houses of Parliament. Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg made the announcement on Thursday.
European Parliament President David Sassoli said: “On the basis of an updated report from the European Parliament’s Medical Service on the evolution of Covid-19, next week’s plenary session will exceptionally be held in Brussels due to force majeure.”
And Belgian MEP Assita Kanko tweeted: “Next week we are not going to Strasbourg because of Covid-19 coronavirus. Plenary in Brussels.”
Daniel Koster, spokesman for the European Parliament’s Economy and Environment Working Group shared a screenshot of Mr Sassoli’s message to colleagues.
In the email sent at 7.51pm local time (6.51pm British time) he said the planned meeting in Strasbourg “would involve significantly higher health risks for members and staff” than previous thought.
Mr Sassoli wrote: “According to updated advice I received from Parliament’s Medical Service at 6pm today, the situation related to the spread of the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus Covid-19 has evolved over the last few days and hours.
“In particular, new infection clusters have been confirmed and case numbers are rising in a number of regions across the European Union.
“While the measures I already decided on March 2 2020 still allow Parliament’s core functions to be discharged on its premises, it now appears that the journey to the part-session of Parliament in Strasbourg would involve significantly higher health risks for members and staff as well as the local population.
“I have therefore decided that, as a security measure and by derogation from the meeting calendar for 2020 as approved, next week’s part-session will exceptionally be held in Brussels for reasons of force majeure.
“I have asked the Secretary-General to take the additional practical measures that the exceptional change to the venue of the part-session entails.
“My decision of March 2 2020 in relation to Covid-19 remains in force and applicable.
“I count on each and every one of you to act responsibly, as you have so far.”
More to follow…