Nearly 200 deputies are preparing to shun Strasbourg because of the peak of Covid
Nearly 200 MEPs want to work remotely next week, rather than attend the plenary session in Strasbourg, following an increase in Covid-19 cases in parts of Europe.
“We are concerned that 705 members will vote in attendance in plenary next week,” notes the letter, sent to parliament speaker David Sassoli on Wednesday 17 November.
Written by centre-right German MEPs Angelika Niebler and Daniel Caspary, the letter calls for a return to a so-called “special scheme”, which mixes virtual and physical work.
“Given the current pandemic situation, we want to avoid having so many colleagues and staff sitting together for so long without any distance,” they said.
The letter includes MEPs from all political groups and comes amid a sharp rise in infections. Although initially signed by 179 deputies, others have since been added.
“Unfortunately, so far we have not received any response from President Sassoli,” Caspary’s office said in an email early Thursday evening.
Belgium, which hosts the EU institutions, has noted a 27% increase in infections over the past week.
It recorded more than 19,000 infections on Monday alone, although deaths remain relatively low compared to other EU states. About 2,800 people are currently being treated in hospitals, including 568 in intensive care.
France, where next week’s plenary is due to take place, recorded nearly 20,300 daily cases on Wednesday.
The European Parliament has already recently imposed temporary entry measures, requiring MPs and others to present a Covid pass or a negative test to enter its premises, as well as face masks.
The rules came as Sassoli demanded a physical return from EU lawmakers, amid reports of dozens of infections – most of them contracted outside his premises.
A deputy spokesperson confirmed that four infections had been contracted within the European Parliament itself.
Discussions are taking place between the group leaders on possible next steps.
But Klause Welle, the highest administrator of the European Parliament seems to have taken over.
On Wednesday, he sent an email telling staff he could work remotely from home from November 20.
Welle noted “recent cases of internal infections in the European Parliament” as well as the latest decision by Belgian authorities, among the reasons for the decision.
Belgian restrictions, announced earlier this week, impose a four-day work-from-home rule until mid-December.
For its part, the European Commission said it would also follow the Belgian rules.
“We will ask our staff to telecommute four days a week from Monday as decided yesterday,” a commission spokesperson told reporters.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says spikes in infection are mainly caused by unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people.
The agency warned in late September that lifting restrictions in countries with vaccination rates below 75% would lead to an increase in cases.
“In such a scenario, due to the very high circulation of the virus, fully vaccinated vulnerable populations are also at risk of acquiring infection with a serious outcome,” he noted.