The EU must consider establishing Brussels as the sole base of the European parliament, breaking its historic links to Strasbourg, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, an internal report has advised.
The decision would involve a treaty change and a major row with the French government but the study’s authors say it is clear the EU needs to “rationalise” despite the symbolic importance of the Alsatian city as a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation.
The parliament sits in Strasbourg for three and a half days 12 times a year, involving a monthly grand déménagement of 2,400 MEPs, assistants, drivers and parliament staff, along with journalists and lobbyists. MEPs and their staff otherwise work in Brussels and their constituencies.