'%20id='ico-down'%20stroke='%23000000'%20stroke-width='1.5'%3e%3cg%20transform='translate(1092.250000,%20254.750000)'%3e%3cpolyline%20id='Path-2-Copy-4'%20transform='translate(5.500000,%202.750000)%20scale(1,%20-1)%20rotate(-180.000000)%20translate(-5.500000,%20-2.750000)%20'%20points='0%200%205.5%205.5%2011%200'%3e%3c/polyline%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
1 April 2004
BRUSSELS – From Thursday the Belgian government will have to pay the European Commission EUR 220,000 a month for failing to complete work on the EU executive’s Brussels headquarters on time.
The European Commission should have moved back into the star-shaped Berlaymont building at Rond Point Schuman in 2000.
But the Belgian authorities are still renovating the building, which the Commission quit in a panic in 1991 following an asbestos scare.
At present the Belgians still own the Berlaymont, but the Commission has said it will buy the building when it eventually moves back in.
However, under a the terms of a late delivery agreement between the two parties that came into effect on Thursday, the Commission now has the right to knock EUR 220,000 a month off of the price it agreed to pay for the Berlaymont until the building is ready.
Copyright Expatica News 2004]
Subject: Belgian news