As readers of Asterix know all too well - were continually afraid that the sky would fall on their heads! So, when it is the Parliament ceiling that collapses narrowly missing our most fearless representatives at the European Parliament, one can easily understand the concern felt by Viscount Philippe de Villiers. In a letter addressed to President Pöttering, the French sovereignist hard-liner points out that the concrete block which fell from above “wiped out the seats of the Independence & Democracy Group representatives”. He goes on: “I, like yourself, believe this to be pure coincidence, a purely fortuitous link between the damaged ceiling and the virtual victims. And yet I think that, for the sake of everyone's tranquillity - both intellectual and physical - and in order to put a stop to all the rumours going around based on photos of this unfortunate incident, it might be useful to look beyond the conclusions reached by the Parliament's technical department. For this reason, it is my privilege to call for an independent technical survey to provide reassurance for those of us who have the same feeling of certainty about the coincidence. I believe that, if the ceiling had fallen on the Commission, there would have been no shortage of federalist representatives calling for the same expertise”. Mr de Villiers and his colleagues can rest assured. Several independent technical damage surveys have been carried out and the consolidated ceiling should never again threaten anyone, whoever he or she may be, President Pöttering answered. (O.J./transl.jl)