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Brussels Edition: The search for a trade czar

Brussels Edition
Bloomberg

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

EU commerce ministers will today wrestle with whether they should put forward a joint candidate for the race to lead the World Trade Organization. They face an elephant-in-the-room type of dilemma in the form of Phil Hogan. The EU trade chief is interested in becoming WTO director-general when incumbent Roberto Azevedo steps down at the end of August, and few, if any, other high-profile EU personalities look likely to throw their hats in the ring. But the bloc, keen on strengthening the WTO amid growing U.S.-China tensions, will be wary of presenting a candidate before seeing signals from trade partners that such a bid would succeed. So expect little more today than a possible consensus on the merits of having a single European nominee, as well as a steer on whether the EU will pursue a global accord to slash tariffs on medical goods. 

Jonathan Stearns and Nikos Chrysoloras

What's Happening

Recovery Talks | The EU's proposed recovery package is in focus today as finance ministers hold a debate that could offer a hint of how governments think. Officials are optimistic about a deal as soon as next month, even as issues like the size of the package, the balance between grants and loans and the criteria to allocate funds remain contentious.

Virus Update | German industrial production took a record-hit as a result of the lockdown. The U.K. is going ahead with a two-week quarantine on international arrivals, a move carriers say will devastate tourism. Here's our guide on planning your summer holiday, and everything you need to know about whether masks protect you from the virus.  

Going Digital | Just 17% of businesses with 249 or fewer employees sell online in the EU. European officials are earmarking a part of a proposed 750 billion-euro economic rescue package to help speed up their digital transition. Here's why it's a matter of survival for European firms.

More Stimulus | Deflation is back on the minds of European Central Bank officials, presaging likely battles for President Christine Lagarde over whether the euro zone needs more monetary stimulus. Yes, you heard that right. Even more stimulus. We have the details.

In Case You Missed It

Green Finance | The EU should identify companies that harm the environment so banks and asset managers can better access climate risks, according to the ECB. The central bank threw its weight behind the controversial idea of a "brown list" in a submission to the European Commission, which is pushing for a green financial system.

Reclaiming Amsterdam | By driving away the more than 1 million tourists Amsterdam gets on average each month, the virus revealed something that had been in plain sight for years: locals have lost the city's historic center. Now, a fight is on to reclaim it.

Bulgarian Fugitive | Once among eastern Europe's richest people, Vasil Bozhkov — a Bulgarian tycoon dubbed one of the nation's "most notorious gangsters" — is stuck in a self-imposed exile in Dubai. Now he wants to enter politics, topple the government and return home.

Unhappy Steel | The European steel industry lashed out at the EU's trade authority for failing to slash import quotas, saying producers in the bloc risk going bust. "The European steel industry's survival is at further, serious risk," the lobby group said.

Different Approaches | Trump's attack on Twitter has highlighted how Brussels and Washington are taking radically different approaches to how social media platforms should treat user content. In Europe, platforms are urged to cut hate speech and fake news, while in Trump's U.S., they're pressured to stop potential censorship.

Chart of the Day

Spain's economy could shrink this year by as much as 15% in a worst-case scenario, according to the country's central bank, a contraction that would be among the steepest in the euro area. Spain has had one of the strictest coronavirus confinements in the region and is among the most dependent on tourism.

Today's Agenda

All times CET.

  • 10 a.m. Video conference of EU trade ministers
  • 11 a.m. Eurostat to release euro-area 1Q final GDP reading
  • 12 p.m. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell press conference following the EU-Strategic Dialogue with China video conference
  • 3 p.m. Informal video conference of employment and social affairs ministers to discuss flexible working arrangements, such as remote working
  • 3 p.m. Video conference of EU's economics and finance ministers
  • EU health chief Stella Kyriakides delivers a keynote speech at the virtual Delphi Economic Forum 2020

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