Seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg
The city of Strasbourg in France is the official seat of the European Parliament. The institution is legally bound by the decision of Edinburgh European Council of 11 and 12 December 1992 and Article 341 of the TFEU to meet there twelve times a year for a session, each of which usually takes about four days. The majority of work, however, takes place in Brussels, and some other work is undertaken in Luxembourg City (see Location of European Union institutions for more information).[4][5] Also all votes of the European Parliament must take place in Strasbourg. "Additional" sessions and committees take place in Brussels. Although de facto a majority of the Parliament's work is now geared to its Brussels site, it is legally bound to keep Strasbourg as its official home; a situation which garners much criticism from the European Parliament itself, as well as many interest groups, administrative staff, and environmentalist groups amongst others.
"Buildings of the European Parliament" redirects here. For the buildings in Brussels, see Espace Léopold.Louise Weiss building
Debating Chamber and MEP offices
Contemporary
Strasbourg, France
14 December 1999[1]
European Union
60 m (tower)
100 m (tower)
Hemicycle inside : 56×44×15 m (184×144×49 ft)
20 (17 above-ground levels, 3 sub-ground levels)
220,000 m2 (2,400,000 sq ft)
S.E.R.S.[2]
The Parliament's six buildings, all named after distinguished European politicians, are located in the Quartier Européen (European Quarter) of the city, which it shares with other European organisations which are separate from the European Union's.[6] Previously the Parliament used to share the same assembly room as the Council of Europe. Today, the principal building is the Louise Weiss building, inaugurated in 1999 and named after the women's rights activist and former MEP, Louise Weiss.
Secondary buildings[edit]
There are four secondary buildings across the river from the Louise Weiss. Like the Louise Weiss, most of them follow the numbering system of Immeuble du Parlement Européen (French for "Building of the European Parliament") 1, 2 and 3; the most recent building, (Immeuble Václav Havel), has not yet (July 2017) officially received the number 5. The buildings 1 and 2 form a single complex along the river. The buildings 3 and "5" are located more inland and connected by a glass footbridge. On the site on which the complex was built, there previously stood the swimming pool of the Société des nageurs strasbourgeois (SNS), built in 1952 and demolished in 1978 to make way.[30]
The Winston Churchill building (IPE 1)[31] is located on Avenue du Président Schuman, in the Orangerie district. It houses administration and support facilities. The Salvador de Madariaga building (IPE 2),[32] along Quai du Bassin de l'Ill, is located next to the Winston Churchill Building. Both buildings, designed by the municipal architect François Sauer with the assistance of Jean-Paul Friedmann on behalf of the SERS actually form one single complex with a surface of 58,400m², built at a cost of 81 million euros,[33] inaugurated in 1980 (later modified in 1988 and 1991, in relation to the construction of the IPE 3) and designed in a post-modern style often characterised by convoluted, serpentine architecture, relative heights and glazed facades.[34][35] The Salvador de Madariaga building also houses the other EU body of which Strasbourg is the official seat (since 1992): the European Ombudsman.
The buildings were at the centre of controversy regarding overpayment of rent.[36] They were eventually bought by the Parliament in 2006.[37]
In October 2007 it was discovered that the buildings contained a larger amount of asbestos than previously thought before they were purchased. However the amount is still not deemed to be a public health risk and is limited to certain areas. The previous owner of the building may be responsible for finding and removing the asbestos within the building. This was not the first such incident as bacteria causing Legionnaires has been discovered in the water system of the complex after a number of officials reported in ill. The bacteria had been allowed to develop due to the Strasbourg complex being used only four months of the year.[38]
The Pierre Pflimlin building (IPE 3), a heart-shaped, comparatively low building built on behalf of the SERS at the crossing of Avenue du Président Robert Schuman and Allée Spach,[39] inaugurated in 1991 as a press and media center (Centre de presse et d'information) at a cost of 38 million euros,[40] has been given the name of the former President of European Parliament on 6 July 2007.[41] The smallest of the buildings (21,000 m2), it now houses among other things the translation staff.
The Václav Havel building was inaugurated on 5 July 2017 by EP President Antonio Tajani, and French Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau. The building, originally opened in 1954, belonged to the Council of Europe, which used it until 2007. In 2012, it was purchased by the European Parliament, which completely deconstructed and reconstructed it.[42][43][44]
The Simone Veil building was inaugurated on 21 November 2023 by French Prime minister Élisabeth Borne and EP president Roberta Metsola. It is situated opposite the Louise Weiss building and was originally built as an office building, with the name "Osmose". Inaugurated in 2021, it had stood empty since then, until it was bought by the French state and rented to the European Parliament for €700,000 per year.[45][46]
Former buildings[edit]
The present buildings were constructed due to the enlargement of the European Union in 1995 (and the planned enlargement to the east in 2004). Due to the new members, the Parliament needed a larger hemicycle to hold debates, and more offices for MEPs. Prior to this, Parliament shared the facilities of the Council of Europe, who had built a hemicycle in their headquarters: the Palace of Europe. That hemicycle was inaugurated for the Parliament's use, and for the use of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on 28 January 1977.
However, the sharing of this chamber could cause confusion for TV audiences unsure which institution was using it at the time. This was exacerbated by the EU and the Council of Europe both using the same flag, although the two did use their own emblems as well.
Before the Palace of Europe was built in 1977, the two institutions also shared the Maison de l'Europe ("House of Europe") from 1958.[47] The Maison was a provisory concrete building of purely functional architecture[48][49] and was inaugurated in 1950. It stood where there is now a lawn leading up to the Palace of Europe.[50][51]