Sant: ‘Treatment of Commission employees exposed to asbestos is disgraceful’

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has called the treatment of the European Commission’s employees exposed to asbestos at the Jean Monnet Building in Luxembourg “disgraceful” after no reply was forthcoming from Commission over the transfer of 1,700 employees, 50 of which are Maltese nationals, to a safer workplace.

Employees in the Jean Monnet building have for a long time been subjected to serious health hazards resulting from the presence of asbestos in the building’s infrastructure.

“The European institutions should take the lead in showing full respect to regulations in the countries where they operate. They surely cannot appear to lead in the non-observance of rules meant to protect the health of European citizen,” Sant said.

The Labour MEP said that he is informed that the Commission has for years repeatedly side-lined concerns, and staff complaints have been ignored.

“Use of the building is in conflict with Luxembourg’s regulations regarding health and safety standards, but these cannot be enforced given the Commission’s diplomatic status,” Sant said.

He said that while his questions to the European Commission from the EP should have been answered within six weeks at the latest, four months have elapsed since he put the question. “This indicates that the European Commission cannot or does not want to supply a firm date for the transfer of its staff.”

Sant had asked the European Commission whether a definite date has been decided to move out 1,700 employees from the Jean Monnet Building.

Sant asked the Commission how many cases of asbestos have been  recognised as professional illnesses  regarding Commission employees stationed in the  Jean Monnet Building. He also asked why  has the commission been taking  almost 20 years, from the first partial partial moves in 1995,  to complete the move of Commission employees from out of the Jean Monnet Buildings.