Maltese Europarliamentarian Alfred Sant has asked the European Commission whether a definite date has been decided to move out 1,700 employees from the Jean Monet Building in Luxembourg, 50 of which are Maltese Nationals. These employees are directly connected to the presence of asbestos after it had been establised that a large amount of asbestos had been discovered in this building, which is leased to the European Commission.
Alfred Sant asked the Commission how many cases of asbestos have been recognised as professional illnesses regarding Commission employees stationed in the Jean Monet Building. He also asked why has the commission been taking almost 20 years, from the first partial moves in 1995, to complete the move of Commission employees from out of the ‘Jean Monet Buildings’ In Luxembourg inspite of confirmed presence of asbestos.
Sant reminded the European Commission that on 30 November 2009 it had issued an EU legislation in the form of a Directive on the protection of workers from risks related to the exposure of asbestos at work and the well known health risks the presence of asbestos creates.
Unofficial reports say that two people working at this building have already fallen ill caused by this hazardous material.
The European Commission is expected to reply to the Maltese MEPs query in the beginning of January 2015.
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