EU Acquires £174 million Brussels Offices

The European Parliament is set to spend £174 million on new Brussels office buildings.

The new acquisitions are part of a larger expansion plan, and will accommodate a growing number of staff, including 1,525 parliamentary assistants and 6,200 civil servants.

The two buildings in question occupy space near the Place Luxembourg EU Parliament complex, which is part of a larger dedicated commercial district.

£94 million is to be spent on the purchase of the impressive Trebel building, currently under development by real estate developer Atenor.

A further £77 million will be spent on renting an 11-storey office block on De Meeussquare, for a set 12 year leasing period.

The EU has, however, come under fire for undertaking such a move at a time when austerity measures are being implemented elsewhere.

UK Independence Party deputy leader Paul Nuttall said: “This is an outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money when the EU is demanding punishing cuts from ordinary households and national governments."

“According to the Commission, EU institutions today occupy over two million metres square of office space in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg.

“For Heaven’s sake, this is the same area as all of Monaco.

“These fanatical bureaucrats in Brussels will never accept reform, the only way to stop British money going on these wasteful projects is to leave the European Union.”

It has been estimated that the EU has spent around £700 million on buildings in 2013 this year alone.

The European Parliament insists its spending is good value for money.