LAST UPDATE | 16 Dec 2021

EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS have agreed that administering booster jabs is “urgent” and “crucial” to tackle the surge of coronavirus infections across the continent and the emergence of the new Omicron variant.

With the festive season looming, the bloc’s leaders also stressed the importance of coordinated action to avoid a confusing cacophony of rules in the 27 member states, and to ensure that Covid-19 certificates continue to guarantee unrestricted travel.

In their summit’s conclusions, leaders gathered in Brussels insisted on the need for a harmonised approach to avoid limitations to free movement between member countries or travel into the region being hampered.

But alarming rises in infections have already prompted many European governments to implement public health measures and new restrictions in recent weeks.

France will restrict arrivals from Britain because of fast-spreading Omicron cases, putting limits on reasons for travelling and requiring 48-hour isolation upon arrival. The new measures will take effect first thing on Saturday.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said additional restrictive measures, such as extra testing for visitors, should only apply during the Christmas period “in order for us to gain additional time to boost as many people as possible. It’s a battle against time.”

He said that booster doses were key to counter the spread of the new variant.

“The one answer to the Omicron right now is the acceleration of our vaccination programme, with a particular emphasis on the booster shots,” Mitsotakis said. “In Greece, we are one of the first European countries to open booster shots to the entire population.”

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that leaders had significant concerns about Omicron’s capacity to spread rapidly and create pressure on health systems.

The summit also tackled other big topics pressing hard on EU capitals, in particular the Russian military build-up that could lead to an invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian border

A Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s border took centre stage at the summit of the EU’s 27 leaders on Thursday, coming on the heels of a plea from Ukraine’s president for more sanctions to be imposed before any possible incursion rather than after.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the EU should not underestimate the threat Russia’s troop build-up poses, adding that he sees Moscow’s actions as creating the worst security situation since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“I’m talking not only about Ukraine,” Mr Nauseda said, stressing that Nato’s eastern flank and the Baltic region should also be concerned.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Moscow not to cross the line.

“The inviolability of borders is one of the very important foundations of peace in Europe and we will all do everything together to ensure that this inviolability actually remains intact,” Scholz said as he entered the one-day summit.

Many of the leaders said they looked towards diplomatic talks to stave off military action in Ukraine. Prime Minister Janez Jansa of Slovenia, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency until the end of the year, suggested talks between France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia.

“Maybe there are some open channels for some serious negotiations” over the coming days, Jansa said.

Moscow denies that it has any plans to attack Ukraine, but did so in 2014 when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula. US intelligence officials say Russia has moved 70,000 troops and is preparing for a possible invasion early next year.

“It is not normal for regular military exercises,” Jansa said, adding that there was no doubt that Russia was using its military might to put Ukraine under pressure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders on Wednesday to swiftly impose new sanctions on Russia before it invades his country, warning that acting after any conflict would be far too late.

Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine stood ready to enter into talks with Russia to ease tensions, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not appear willing to come to the table.

France and Germany brokered a peace agreement in 2015 that helped to end large-scale hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists since 2014. But the conflict, which has left 14,000 people dead, has simmered.

EU leaders are widely expected to approve a draft summit conclusion, seen by The Associated Press, that warns “any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe cost in response”.

European officials argue that it is a better deterrent to keep Mr Putin in the dark about what measures might be used against him.

Asked by reporters whether Europe would act on Mr Zelenskyy’s call, European Council President Charles Michel said: “We have sanctions in place, we are ready to take additional sanctions if needed, and we will see” what happens.

Despite Moscow’s threat, Lithuania’s president still has a sense of optimism.

“I think we have enough tools in order to stop Russia from its aggressive behaviour,” Mr Nauseda said.

The US and the EU have been coordinating their response to Russia, but no real details of any sanctions have emerged.

The Kremlin on Thursday again prodded western leaders to provide legally binding guarantees precluding Nato’s expansion to Ukraine and the deployment of the alliance’s weapons there, calling such moves a “red line” for Moscow.

The US and its allies have refused to make such a pledge, but Mr Putin and US  President Joe Biden agreed last week on further talks to discuss Russian concerns.

An Omicron winter

Alongside concerns on the Ukrainian border, the EU has raised concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant within the bloc

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said that the bloc is bracing for an Omicron winter.

“We’re told that by mid-January, we should expect Omicron to be the new dominant variant in Europe,” said von der Leyen.

The timing is perilous. Although many EU countries are in the global vanguard in terms of vaccination rates, the roll-out is patchy across the 27-nation bloc.

Nine EU countries have vaccination rates below 60%.

Omicron’s apparent ability to mute the effects of existing vaccines has galvanised efforts to get booster shots into arms.

But the EU health agency ECDC yesterday warned jabs alone now would not be enough, given that Omicron infections double around every two days.

“There will be no time to address the vaccination gaps that still exist,” Andrea Ammon, director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, said.

“The coming months will be difficult,” acknowledged EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides.

Crumbling coordination

While some hope – based on initial data from South Africa, where Omicron is already dominant – the new strain produces milder symptoms than the Delta variant, mathematical modelling suggested its sheer infectivity could overwhelm hospitals.

The draft summit conclusions, seen by AFP, stress that “rolling out vaccinations to all and deploying booster doses are crucial” while also maintaining cross-EU coordination.

The united front, however, is visibly weakening.

Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Greece have all tightened entry restrictions for EU arrivals by requiring PCR tests even of vaccinated travellers.

Their measures appeared to undermine the rules of an EU Covid certificate that since July has ensured easy intra-EU travel without quarantine or tests for the vaccinated.

While EU countries can suspend some of the rules in health emergencies, they need first to notify Brussels 48 hours in advance.

A European Commission spokesman said Italy did not do so.

An EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted to journalists that, for EU capitals, “at times you need to decide very fast” when faced with an emergency.

“Italy has a very high vaccination rate. I can understand why member states are taking very strong measures to combat the virus,” he said.

He said the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine was the most popular in the EU, and added that should vaccines be needed specifically for Omicron “my guess is they are only available in the second quarter,” between April and June next year.

Additional reporting by PA

© AFP 2021