Mediaboss Marketing

PARIS The shutdown of Europe expanded drastically on Saturday as more countries shuttered businesses, locked up borders and chased people off streets and into their homes in a race to contain the growing threat of the coronavirus.

Spain became the second country in Europe, after Italy, to impose strict limits on public life, telling everyone to stay indoors, with few exceptions. As cases soared nationwide, the authorities confirmed that the prime ministers wife had been infected.

In France, cafes and restaurants central to the countrys soul and social life were ordered closed along with most other nonessential businesses.

In the United States, Vice President Mike Pence widened the American travel ban to include Britain and Ireland, effectively shutting off travel from nearly 30 European countries, while the White House said that President Trump had tested negative for the virus.

Across Europe, there was a widespread feeling that the health crisis flaying Italy for weeks had arrived at the doorsteps of its neighbors, and that the time for hoping the threat would somehow dissipate without sweeping intervention was over.

Until Saturday, cafes in Paris had been full of revelers and restaurants had been doing good business, even without tourists. But then French officials said the crisis could be disregarded no longer.

The time of classic Parisian nonchalance had come to an end.

In France, when you tell people to stay home, they go to bars to celebrate the closure, said Hlne Noaillon, a bartender at Les Pres Populaires, reacting to news of the closures on Saturday night while the bar was still open.

Our society is more libertarian, she said. As long as you dont put people under any real constraints, theyre going to continue to live the way they want.

While some European leaders, like President Emmanuel Macron of France, have called for intensifying cooperation across nations, others are trying to close their countries off.

From Denmark to Slovakia, governments went into aggressive virus-fighting mode with border closures.

In Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said all foreigners who did not have an essential purpose for visiting the country would be turned away. Passenger ferries and trains will stop running, but cargo transports will continue. The measures will be in effect until at least April 13.

Poland planned to close its borders at midnight and deny all foreigners entry. The Czech Republic and Slovakia followed suit. Lithuania announced border checks at the frontiers with Poland and Latvia. Still, it is at best unclear whether closing borders is an effective means of containing the virus.

In France, there was a sense that a general lockup might now be the only way to at least slow the spread of the disease domestically. On Saturday night, French officials scolded their fellow citizens in announcing the new closures, which extend to virtually all businesses except those deemed essential, like grocery stores, banks and gas stations.

Previous declarations against large gatherings had been ignored, they warned. The result was more infections, more hospitalizations and more deaths.

The first measures taken to limit gatherings have been imperfectly applied, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said. I say it with all seriousness: Together we must show more discipline in implementing these measures.

He called on the French to avoid family gatherings and nonessential travel. But, baffling to commentators, Mr. Philippe insisted at the same time that Sundays municipal elections would go ahead as planned.

The drastic new measures in France came in reaction to a doubling of infections in the last 72 hours to 4,500. There have been 91 deaths, and 300 people are in critical condition.

In Spain, the outbreak is even worse. At least 6,200 are infected, and 190 have died.

On Saturday, the Spanish authorities said the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Snchez, Begoa Gmez, had tested positive for the virus.

A day after declaring a state of emergency, Spains divided government argued all day about what concrete steps to take to combat the virus. After a seven-hour meeting, the government decreed a nationwide lockdown, extending the kind of measures that various regional authorities including in the capital, Madrid, and in Catalonia had already taken in recent days.

Madrid, normally one of Europes most bustling cities with thousands of bars and cafes, resembled a ghost town on Saturday, as its 3.5 million residents started to follow the advice of the authorities to stay at home.

The train stations and main avenues were almost deserted. Only stores providing basic services like supermarkets and gas stations were allowed to stay open.

The government said people could leave their homes to buy food, to go to work if they cannot work remotely, to seek health care, or to assist the elderly and others in need. The government also ordered all schools, restaurants, bars and nonessential stores to close.

Were the new Italy, said Francisco Gutierrez, a 33-year-old street cleaner for the city of Madrid. We dont know how long its going to last, and we dont know how much Spain will suffer from this yet.

Mr. Snchez has warned that the number of coronavirus cases in Spain could reach 10,000 next week, given how sharply infections have been rising.

In Britain and Ireland, the new ban on travelers heading to the United States will go into effect as of midnight on Monday, American officials said Saturday. It follows the strictures on travel from the Continent announced by Mr. Trump on Wednesday, which were widely criticized in Europe. The new ban got a similar reception in Britain on Saturday.

Its a complete and utter waste of time, said Roy Anderson, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London.

Britain continued to resist the main measure taken by much of Europe, however: the banning of large gatherings.

Pro-Brexit campaigners had treated Britains previous exemption from the ban as a vindication of the countrys decision to cut ties with the European Union. The U.K. is now treated as an independent country, Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit Party, said triumphantly last week.

But Brexit champions were largely silent on Saturday as Britain, which has recorded 1,140 infections and 21 deaths from coronavirus, was added to the list.

The new measures across Europe reflected a growing awareness that delayed action or intervention could lead to an outbreak like the one in Italy. In that country, more than 21,000 people have been sickened, more than 1,400 have died, and doctors and nurses have been so overwhelmed that they have had to choose whom to treat and whom to leave to fend for themselves.

France declared that it had entered the most serious threat level from the epidemic Phase 3 an announcement that citizens and commentators had been awaiting with dread.

Up until now, the French have not sufficiently become aware of their role facing the virus, one of the countrys top health officials, Jrme Salomon, said. It is urgent it is now that you need to change behavior.

A half-dozen French lawmakers and several government ministers have been infected. Sundays elections in France, for mayors and city councils, have been regarded as a critical referendum on Mr. Macrons reformist government, though turnout is now expected to be low.

Beyond the elections, France has yet another coronavirus problem to tackle: a cruise ship headed its way.

An Italian couple tested positive for the coronavirus in San Juan, Puerto Rico, late on Friday after disembarking from the cruise ship. Costa Cruises, an Italian subsidiary of Miami-based Carnival Corporation, says the ship is now heading to Marseilles, France.

But the closing of restaurants and cafes in France, major elements of the countrys symbolic heart, is certain to bring the crisis home in a way that nothing has so far. Even the closing of museums and major tourist attractions, announced Friday, dont compare.

Commentators on French television Saturday night noted that even during the German occupation, bars and restaurants stayed open.

On Saturday night, a Paris reveler, Clmence Jamult, a 39-year-old history teacher, said the closures meant the end of a very French way of life.

Its a special moment, she added. Others said it was inevitable.

Its a little sad to come to this, but its a necessary decision, said Ms. Noaillon, the bartender, adding that French people were barely respecting the rules of social distancing urged on them by the government earlier in the week.

Adam Nossiter reported from Paris, and Raphael Minder and Elian Peltier from Madrid. Reporting was contributed by Benjamin Mueller from London, Constant Meheut and Aurelien Breeden from Paris, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs from Washington.

Read more from the original source:
Shutdowns Spread Across Europe as Spain and France Order Broad Restrictions - The New York Times

Despite having campaigned to stay in the European Economic Community (EEC) the precursor to the EU former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is now often portrayed as a spiritual mother of euroscepticism. She passionately fought and won a number of battles against what she saw as the excessive powers of Brussels. In 1984, she negotiated a British rebate on contributions to the EEC in what has long been considered one of the Iron Ladys finest victories.

Despite her anti-EU stance, according to Lord David Owen, it was one of Baroness Thatchers key decisions that ultimately tied Britain to the EU.

In an interview with Express.co.uk, the former Foreign Secretary and SDP leader argued that the former Prime Minister should have listened to her then-Chancellor Nigel Lawson before signing the Single European Act.

He explained: "Nigel Lawson is a significant figure.

"He wrote to Margaret Thatcher twice in 1986 warning her not to allow the use of the term 'monetary', which was very significant in the Single European Act.

"He deserves great praise for this.

"Thatcher should have said no, and she realised this later.

"We should have said no to the monetary system, because if we had, then we could have easily vetoed Maastricht."

The Brexiteer noted: "But having gone on and on with that language, it was much harder to block Maastricht.

"Particularly when Kohl was so accommodating giving us the opt outs."

The Single European Act (SEA) was the first major revision of the 1957 Treaty of Rome.

JUST IN:Why Italy is furious with Christine Lagarde over coronavirus U-turn

The Act set the European Community the objective of establishing a single market by December 31, 1992.

It was signed in Luxembourg on February 17, 1986, and at The Hague on February 28, 1986.

The Act set the precedent that, in order to achieve such a market, a genuine Economic and Monetary Union had to be established a goal which was set out in its preamble.

It conferred on the Community a monetary capacity, which is to say the possibility of adapting the Community institutions to the subsequent development of an economic and monetary policy.

The future economic monetary union was, therefore, to be established within the Community framework.

DON'T MISS:Brexit U-turn: David Frost left door open to rejoining EU[INSIGHT]Nicola Sturgeon: Peer delivers shock verdict on independent Scotland[EXCLUSIVE]EU panic: George Soross radical plan to save Europe revealed[REVEALED]

Despite Baroness Thatcher's mistake, she spent the following years fighting against the Maastricht Treaty the international agreement that saw what was then the European Community evolve into the European Union with initially only 12 member states.

While the Iron Lady's successor Sir John Major was in favour of signing Maastricht, she believed the Treaty would have "diminished democracy and increased bureaucracy in Britain.

Referring to the signing of the Single European Act, the Tory grandee said in 1993: Our trust was not well-founded.

We got our fingers burnt.

"The most silly thing to do when you get your fingers burnt is to bring forward a bigger and worse Act which is the equivalent of putting your head in the fire.

Speaking months later in the House of Lords, Baroness Thatcher also claimed: I could never have signed this treaty.

Despite opposition from the Conservatives, Sir John signed the Treaty on February 7, 1992.

Read more:
Brexit blow: How Margaret Thatcher unintentionally tied Britain to EU - Express

Saudi Arabia has extended its travel ban to include the European Union and 12 other countries, including India, as the number of coronavirus cases in the Kingdom jumped to 62, according to media reports on Friday.

Saudi health officials on Friday announced 17 new coronavirus cases, raising the number of cases in the country to 62, according to the official Saudi news agency.

There are 11 foreign nationals among the people who contracted the virus, Saudi Press Agency quoted the Saudi Health Ministry as saying.

One person was discharged from hospital after recovering from the virus, the statement said.

Saudi Arabia early Thursday suspended flights to all EU countries as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia.

Saudi Arabias government decided to temporarily suspend the travel of citizens and residents, and to suspend flights to the European Union countries, as well as Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia, Saudi Gazette quoted a source at the Ministry of Interior as saying.

The government will also be suspending the entry to those coming from the aforementioned countries and entry to those who were in those countries within a time period of 14 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom, it said.

The governments decision grants Saudi nationals and citizens of those countries with valid Saudi residency visas 72 hours to return to the Kingdom before the travel suspension comes into effect.

The travel ban excludes Indian and Filipino medical practitioners working in the Kingdom, taking into account the necessary and required precautions, the report said.

The ministries of interior and health would coordinate while dealing with humanitarian and exceptional cases, without prejudice to the necessary precautionary and preventive measures.

The decision expanded the number of countries included in the travel ban list to 53.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 114 countries.

Saudi Arabia on March 9 suspended travel to Oman, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Italy, and South Korea.

Go here to read the rest:
Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends travel ban to EU, 12 nations including India - Deccan Herald

Part of the problem is sheer complexity. There will be 10 parallel tracks of negotiations involving a team of 100 on the British side alone. The first round will run from Monday to Thursday of next week in Brussels, with the teams reconvening in London on March 18. At that rate, there will be time for only half a dozen rounds before Britain takes stock of the progress.

Moreover, some of the early sticking points like the European Unions access to British fishing grounds are going to be the most contentious. There is also growing tension over whether Mr. Johnson is quietly reneging on the status of Northern Ireland in the withdrawal agreement.

British officials say there will be no need for checks of goods flowing from Britain to Northern Ireland since Northern Ireland remains part of the British customs territory. But under the terms of the agreement with Brussels, the North will also adhere to European Union regulations. This hybrid status, experts say, makes it impossible for there to be no border checks.

Adding to the fears of a bitter negotiation, Mr. Johnson reshuffled his cabinet to stack it with hard-line Brexiteers. He replaced the Northern Ireland secretary, Julian Smith, who almost quit last year when Mr. Johnson threatened a no-deal Brexit, with Brandon Lewis, who is viewed as more compliant.

Sajid Javid, the chancellor of the Exchequer who voted to stay in the European Union in 2016, was forced out in a power struggle with 10 Downing Street. Analysts say that his successor, Rishi Sunak, is likely to put up less resistance to a confrontation with Brussels.

Some analysts chalk up the fighting words to an opening gambit. Britain and the European Union, they say, both have a strong incentive to come to terms. During the withdrawal talks with Brussels, Mr. Johnson showed an ability to pivot seamlessly from confrontation to compromise.

Yet other experts note that Mr. Johnsons ultimate motives remain something of a mystery. He has yet to speak in detail about what kind of Brexit he wants. Some note that the disruption of failing to make a deal, while indisputably bad, would not be magnitudes worse than the bare-bones deal that Mr. Johnson says, for now, that he is seeking.

Read the original post:
Britain and the E.U. Enter Trade Talks, Acrimoniously - The New York Times

Feb 27th 2020

WASHINGTON, DC

IF THE TRUMP administrations America is the bully of the global trading system, the European Union is the finger-wagging school prefect. Instead of threatening tariffs, its leaders have called for countries to play fairly. As a trade war has raged between America and China, the EU suggested a rules-based solution. When the Trump administration wrecked the system of solving disputes at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the EU led the search for a fix. As the worlds biggest exporter of services and second only to China for goods, it has a sizeable stake in preserving order.

Enter Phil Hogan, the EUs burly trade commissioner since December 2019. The EU is still a stickler for rules and the multilateralism that Mr Hogan says is in our DNA. But he wants to wield a bigger stick. We have to stand up for our rights more assertively and aggressively, in my view, he tells The Economist. By this he means defending the EU against unfair trading practices. The challenges range from concerns about Chinas state-led system of capitalism to fears that the EUs trading partners are not living up to their commitments.

Part of his brief involves continuing efforts to rescue the system by which the WTO solves disputes. Meanwhile he will have to manage the tense transatlantic relationship. If the job was not daunting enough, he will help negotiate what he hopes will be an amicable trade deal with Britain.

Mr Hogans reputation as a canny politician willing to make tough decisionshis nickname in Irish politics was the enforcer suggests that he may be right for the job. On behalf of his home county of Kilkenny, where he entered Irish politics at the age of 22, he haggled effectively (for example, ensuring that the regions salt depot was in Kilkenny, partly so that in case of ice the local roads would be salted first). He is no flat tyre, as one Leinster admirer puts it. Later he drew controversy when in 2011, as Irelands Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, he was put in charge of introducing unpopular water charges. It damaged his reputation. But as a consolation prize, the Irish government backed him as the EUs agriculture commissioner.

His experience over the following five years meant that he became intimately acquainted with the EUs most sensitive spots. Alongside Cecilia Malmstrm, then the EUs trade commissioner, he boasts of concluding no fewer than 15 trade agreements. According to some of the negotiators who were on the opposite side of the table, while he could be both charming and funny, his strategies to avoid giving concessions could be deeply frustrating. In some cases, he simply declined to show up.

The American government may roll its eyes at the talk of a tougher EU trade regime. Some in America could accuse the bloc of being too timid about using tariffs to get its own way with trading partners, and too weak to overcome the protectionist instincts of its member states. They ask why, if the EU is so concerned about the demise of the WTOS dispute-settlement system, it ignored Americas complaints about it for so long? Where, they ask, was the EU while America was filing WTO disputes against China? Tough talk is cheap, results will require action.

Mr Hogans first priority is to add muscle to the EUs defences. From May 1st he will oversee a new chief trade-enforcement officer, as well as new enforcement unit dedicated to making sure that existing trade deals are implemented properly. The European Commission is proposing new rules that would sharpen the EUs teeth, including an amendment to enforcement regulations that would allow tariffs against other governments blocking the WTOs dispute-settlement system. On the topic of the WTOs appellate body, Mr Hogan acknowledges some of the American concerns, but adds that he would love to see detailed proposals for solutions to the problems from the Trump administration.

Whether he can maintain stable trade relations with America is another matter. He raised hackles in September after an interview in which he promised to teach Mr Trump the error of his ways. Then in a meeting in January he seems to have clashed with Robert Lighthizer, the United States Trade Representative. If he tries to bring more assertiveness into the EUs side of the transatlantic relationship it could end badly. Stephen Vaughn, an ex-colleague of Mr Lighthizer, warns that attempts to play hardball could backfire.

The Americans want, above all, broad access to the EUs agricultural marketmore than the lobsters, scallops and nuts that are on offer. (Seafood technically counts as an industrial product.) But as Mr Hogan knows well from his previous job, anything much broader than dismantling a few non-tariff agricultural barriers is unpalatable to member states.

He remains upbeat about the transatlantic relationship. I think that were in a better place now than we were some months ago, he says. On February 14th a tariff announcement related to a dispute over aircraft subsidies was milder than expected. A reduction in car tariffs could be on the table, he adds, if member states agree. His challenge is not just to get trade partners to play by the rules. It is to get his own side on board, too.

This article appeared in the Finance and economics section of the print edition under the headline "Hulk Hogan"

More:
The European Unions trade policy will involve some tough negotiations - The Economist