Europe Skids Toward Another Lockdown: Brussels Edition

Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

When EU leaders hold their call on Thursday to discuss the unfolding pandemic disaster, there’ll be an unwelcome guest in the virtual room: the specter of another lockdown. With efforts to limit the virus’s spread with softer measures — from mandatory mask-wearing to curfews — failing (so far) to deliver results, the drastic step that no European politician wants to take is back on the agenda. Arguably, with travel, entertainment and an ever-increasing number of other activities suspended, we’re already in a lockdown in all but name. But it could get worse and spell new risks for the region. A nascent economic rebound is already losing steam, and the social backlash against the latest restrictions is gathering momentum. Ahead of the Commission’s latest proposals for measures tomorrow, pressure is mounting to come up with something resembling a coherent response.