Greece, Italy Show EU Split on Covid Travel Curbs
Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.
European solidarity will be the focus today in Brussels, where EU leaders are gathering for a second day of summit meetings. The bloc’s system to allow hassle-free travel for people vaccinated against coronavirus is at risk of breaking down after Italy and Greece imposed their own rules amid fears about the omicron variant. Leaders plan to call for nations to coordinate on travel and avoid steps that would “disproportionately hamper free movement” within or into the EU, according to the latest draft of their joint communique we’ve seen. And despite pressure, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is expected to refuse to change the country’s rules, we’ve been told. There is also no uniform approach on other items on the summit’s agenda. Leading EU nations are resisting a push to draw up specific sanctions and other punishments to impose on Russia if it invades Ukraine. On energy, there’s a dispute about whether the EU has any instruments that can address the current price crisis.