The putative decision about sale of the European Foyer building, once the Jean Monnet II building of the European Commission is completed, has left many colleagues shocked and concerned. This is not just another piece of real estate: it represents decades of staff commitment, solidarity and cultural life within the European Institutions in Luxembourg.
The Foyer was not a present for us; it was financed with our own collective contributions. Around 2 million EUR, originally raised for the benefit of our children, was invested into this building some years ago. Selling it off would not only erase that investment but also disregard the trust of those who contributed to its renovation.
The Foyer has long served as the home of cultural clubs, a place where staff and their families could gather, learn and celebrate together. Losing this space would mean scattering activities across smaller, less suitable venues. It is a blow to the diversity and vitality of staff associations that play such an important role in community life.
Equally troubling is the symbolic vacuum the sale will create. The Foyer has been the only representative and centrally-located venue available to welcome high-ranking guests in Luxembourg. Once sold, the European Institutions will be left without an appropriate cultural and reception space in the Grand-Duchy, weakening the exchanges, their visibility and presence at a time when such representation matters more than ever.
Arguments in favour of selling may point to financial rationalisation. But the immediate cash flow pales in comparison with the long-term damage:
- Loss of a cultural and social centre for staff and families.
- Loss of an investment made with staff money.
- Loss of prestige and representational capacity in Luxembourg.
Union Syndicale Luxembourg calls for a halt to the sale process and for a transparent, inclusive debate on the future of the Foyer!
We also encourage staff and management to organise away-days, unit lunches, retirement parties and trainings in the Foyer so that we all contribute to its sustainable existence.
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