Workers of Italy Unite Under One Covid Pass: Brussels Edition

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

About 18 million workers in Italy will be required to hold a Covid passport, the first such measure in the EU as Prime Minister Mario Draghi moves to set the toughest vaccination rules on the continent. The wider use of the passports — dubbed a Green Pass — has met fierce opposition from right-wing parties including Matteo Salvini’s League, which backs Draghi’s government. It comes at a time when several EU governments are pushing back against a proposal by the European Commission to extend controls on vaccine exports. The EU’s executive arm on Thursday also announced a new agency aimed at preventing, detecting and responding to health emergencies.

—Lyubov Pronina

Climate Test | The European Central Bank will look at the trading operations of major lenders as part of climate stress tests next year, after judging that an assessment of loan books alone won’t give enough insight into the fallout they face from global warming. It will also study the reputational and operational risks that banks face.