The European Union is considering spending at least €1.1 billion to renovate the building housing the Council of the EU headquarters. According to Euractiv, citing internal documents, the building in question is Justus Lipsius.

Located opposite the European Commission, the building “already falls into the category with the worst energy efficiency performance,” the portal cites the document. The renovation is also planned for security reasons. As Euractiv notes, the Council of the EU occupies three neighboring buildings in the European Quarter of Brussels.

The total cost of renovating Justus Lipsius is estimated at €803 million. If the Council takes out a loan for the project, additional interest payments are expected to exceed €300 million, bringing total costs to more than €1.1 billion. Euractiv points out that this spending is planned amid budget cuts across the continent and ongoing tense negotiations over the next EU seven-year budget.

Work is scheduled to begin in 2029, with the building expected to open in 2036.