Luca Jahier, head of the European Economic and Social Committee, said he had put himself into quarantine | Siska Gremmelprez/AFP via Getty Images Head of EU social body accused of ignoring coronavirus risks President of European Economic and Social Committee attended meeting after returning from Italy.

The president of an EU institution announced Wednesday he would self-quarantine against coronavirus after a labor union complained he was attending work despite having spent the weekend in Italy.

Luca Jahier, head of the European Economic and Social Committee, said he had put himself into quarantine “as a precautionary measure” after returning from Turin in northern Italy on Monday evening.

Jahier had on Tuesday worked at the EESC premises on Rue Belliard, prompting a labor union to complain in an email to EESC employees on Wednesday morning.

The Italian government on Monday night put the country on lockdown in a bid to prevent further spread of the virus. As of Wednesday evening, a total of 12,462 cases and 827 deaths had been reported in the country.

The union, Unité Syndicale, wrote in its email, seen by POLITICO, that Jahier was conducting “business as usual” while other EU institutions were telling employees coming from risk zones including Italy to stay home. Unité Syndicale referenced European Parliament President David Sassoli's decision to work from home for 14 days after he traveled to Italy.

“We received several complaints from colleagues who are working with the president or in the corridors next to him,” said Stavros Giaprakis from Unité Syndicale.

Jahier’s spokesperson Daniela Vincenti said Wednesday that the president had flown from Turin to Brussels on Monday evening “before Prime Minister Conte extended emergency measures nationwide later that night.”

“In a context where the situation is evolving day by day and taking into account the fact that European institutions are adopting different approaches, he called for a meeting with health practitioners on Tuesday morning to evaluate the situation,” she said.

“He then took the decision to auto-quarantine himself as a precautionary measure, starting from today. I can confirm that apart from the above mentioned consultations, he didn’t take part in any internal meetings,” Vincenti added.

Jahier did however on Tuesday meet with Portuguese MEP Margarida Marques to discuss the next EU budget.

Margareta Buxes, a union member, said Jahier had to understand “that people were getting anxious” because of his decision to come to work. “He may feel perfectly fine but could still carry the virus ... and potentially infect other people who are particularly at risk,” she added.

Jahier said in his statement that “Covid-19 obliges everyone to show full responsibility and caution,” announcing he would work the next 14 days from home.

The spokeswomen said Jahier had showed no symptoms of an infection.