Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.
With hopes of a return to normal blown away by surging Covid cases, governments are going all-in on booster shots and cracking down on the unvaccinated to relieve bulging hospital wards. France will discuss widening its booster campaign to younger adults as soon as this week as it seeks to avoid the restrictions being rolled out in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands — which sparked pockets of protests over the weekend. That’s after Germany’s top health official warned it may need to clamp down harder, while Austria today becomes the first European country to re-enter a nationwide lockdown and make vaccines mandatory. The next question is whether travel will be affected. The commission has already been working on revisions to travel inside and outside the bloc, decisions that may now be impacted by rising caseloads. Also at issue is how booster jabs are treated in vaccine passports, with differing opinions on how long Covid shots offer protection.
What’s Happening
Warning Signs | The U.S. has shared intelligence including maps with European allies that shows a buildup of Russian troops and artillery to prepare for a rapid, large-scale push into Ukraine from multiple locations if President Vladimir Putin decided to invade, people familiar with the conversations told us. That intelligence has been conveyed to some NATO members over the past week to back up U.S. concerns about Putin’s intentions.
Telecom Tussle | Italy’s government is reviewing a 10.8 billion-euro bid by KKR for Telecom Italia, one of the biggest attempts by a private-equity firm to take a phone company private. Vivendi, the French media giant which owns a 24% stake, indicated it will be seeking a higher bid.
Online Democracy | European Parliament President David Sassoli has paved the way for a return to virtual participation in debates and votes from this week, spurred by the soaring coronavirus case numbers. He was reacting to the concerns of lawmakers.
Talking Fish | France will continue supporting its fishermen as talks with the U.K. on post-Brexit fishing licenses drag on. The dispute has become a thorn in relations between the two countries, adding to bigger problems, such as migrants.
Bulgarian Vote | President Rumen Radev won a new five-year term in Bulgaria’s runoff ballot, cementing gains among forces that ousted long-time Premier Boyko Borissov from power. His re-election should help end a power vacuum in the EU’s poorest member, which has held three elections this year as it tries to contain one of the world’s deadliest Covid outbreaks, secure access to EU aid funds and fight corruption.
In Case You Missed It
Warning Shot | The EU fired off warning letters to Hungary and Poland, kick-starting a process that could deny the duo billions of euros under a controversial new weapon to punish nations violating the bloc’s rule-of-law standards. The move marks a first, informal step toward triggering the so-called conditionality mechanism, which is being challenged by Hungary and Poland at the bloc’s top court.
Belarus Crisis | Europe faces a “synchronized” series of crises around Belarus, from the political to energy and security, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said yesterday, as he again blamed Russia for the migrant crisis on the EU’s eastern frontier. He also warned of Moscow’s “appetite to rebuild the empire.”
Deforestation Law | The EU’s new rules to curb food and wood products linked to deforestation will have limited impact on Malaysian shipments of palm oil and timber into the bloc, according to the nation’s government. While the regulations will likely affect exports to the EU as there will be more requirements to fulfill, they only apply to new planted areas, the Southeast Asian country argues.
Jammy Job | After four years in the trenches as a London-based trader for firms including JPMorgan, Andrea Tagliabue decided he’d had enough. Now, the story of how he packed it in and returned to his native Lombardy to create a new life closer to the land is inspiring other Italians who want to move on from their jobs.
Chart of the Day
With Europe facing a resurgence in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, here’s a look across the continent as to what containment measures are being put into place. Austria’s across-the-board curbs will start today and last for at least 20 days. They will remain in force after that for people who’ve rejected inoculation, as the government takes a hard line with vaccine dissenters.
Today’s Agenda
All times CET.
- 10 a.m. Energy commissioner Simson delivers a keynote speech at a Reuters Event on Energy Transition Europe 2021
- Justice Commissioner Reynders receives CEOs of Airlines for Europe (A4E) member companies
- European Parliament plenary session opens; addresses rising Covid cases
- Climate chief Timmermans in Bilbao, Spain for plenary meeting of the European Round Table for Industry
- EU foreign policy chief Borrell in Dushanbe, Tajikistan for EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting
- Enlargement Commissioner Varhelyi in Vienna for international conference on Belarus
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November 22, 2021 at 12:50PM
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Going All-In on Boosters as Austria Locks Down - Bloomberg
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