EU to upgrade security measures due to terror threat
European Union (EU) officials have ordered the increasing of security measures across four EU buildings to counteract possible terrorist acts. Buildings, including the EU Parliament, are to be fitted with bombproof glass. Workers at the buildings claimed that the “lax” security of EU sites make them vulnerable targets for "lone-wolf" attacks. The cost of these new security measures has not been disclosed, but the EU parliament has a public budget of €18.5m ($21m) available for 2017.

GETTY The Brussels parliament building is being bomb-proofed

Eurocrats have ordered a major upgrade of the complex’s defences following a series of Islamist terror attacks across the continent, including in the Belgian capital. Staff were sent an internal memo, seen by express.co.uk, announcing the major renovation which will see four buildings at the Espace Leopold fitted with reinforced glass. Insiders at the parliament warned the complex could be an easy target for lone wolf jihadis, giving examples of lax security and design weaknesses with the buildings.

The main parliament building, which is made almost entirely of glass, is packed with around 6,000 staff looking after the workings of the assembly every day. An insider said: “You could easily drive a vehicle right up to the building, and we know how ISIS use car bombs. “The security at the parliament seems pretty lax at times.”

GETTY More than 6,000 people work in the vast complex at the heart of the Belgian capital

GETTY The building is used by MEPs to create European law

The source added they had once swapped photo passes with another member of staff to test the security, and both had simply been waved inside. In contrast, Britain’s Parliament is surrounded by a ring of steel including armed officers, anti-vehicle bollards and round-the-clock surveillance. And now, after the Brussels airport bombings earlier this year, eurocrats finally seem to be addressing the apparent deficiencies in the security surrounding Europe’s seat of power. In an email to staff, the Directorate-General for Security and Safety at the site said: “Work will be undertaken to reinforce the external glass frontage of Parliament’s central buildings in Brussels. “This work will be carried out in a phased manner. "Members and staff are kindly informed that the offices with external windows will be unavailable for one/two hours while the protective films are applied.”

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