There are limits to video conferencing: when there’s a lot of money at stake, other people like to look others in the eye.
On Friday, the leaders of 27 European Union countries will meet for the first time since February, despite the risks of the coronavirus pandemic, to check and divide a prospective package of 1.85 trillion euros ($2.1 trillion) between them and, just and most importantly, see who will pay the most.
Perhaps in the first primary assembly of leaders since the COVID-19 epidemic hit the world, what was at stake was too high for excessive physical distance.
“You can feel the atmosphere, so to speak,” German Minister for Europe Michael Roth said of the summits in person. “I wouldn’t pretend to be a psychologist, but I’d say it helps.”
It was larger as five remote video summits so far this year have failed to save the monetary hole between rival nations that will have to agree on a budget of more than one trillion euros ($1.14 trillion) for the next seven years and a budget of 750. billion euros. ($856 billion) to help the nations of the coronavirus crisis.
“It was already transparent at Easter when I first called all the other capitals that such a resolution can only be taken if the leaders, the prime ministers, the heads of state meet in Brussels,” said the European Budget Commissioner. Johannes Hahn says.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the city on Thursday night, eager to attend as many meetings as possible. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will wait until official start on Friday.
Whatever happens, it will lead to a European summit like no other at the European headquarters in the ballot box.
For starters, the comfortable meeting room on the most sensitive floor, where leaders have clashed heavily in everything from Brexit to migration issues, will be changed to the prosaic EBS-5 meeting room, where another 330 people occupy a space. 850 square meters (9150 square feet).
“They will be well spaced” when they conduct a limited consultation with some delegates, without emotion to an EU official preparing for the summit.
There will be no picture of the leaders’ organization as at last December’s physical distance requirements summit.
Often, the most complicated summits have so-called confessionals where the president of the debates takes one or more leaders to see where they move. Other leaders would likely meet in mini-sessions to protect non-unusual regional or monetary interests.
Actually, this will happen again, but this time, each and every piece that will be used in the middle of the summit will be very well cleaned. The main room at the summit will only use filtered and uncompressed air.
As soon as their cars reach the entrance road outside the Europe building, the leaders will quickly feel the difference, the authorities said. Most of your delegations will be separated and parked without delay in an adjacent building. And instead of a maze of microphones and cameras for an early comment, they will have the opportunity to comment in an unbiased medium, without asking questions.
The already Byzantine map of the construction has been redesigned for unforeseen crowds and some leader lifts will be limited to a maximum capacity of two.
At the beginning of a session, leaders will be asked to hide and respect at least 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) away to receive casual greetings, at a time when the language of the framework shows how complicated a summit will be. However, if Monday’s foreign ministers’ judgment was something to go through, there was a lack of field.
If the worst happens and a leader has symptoms, doctors will be on site once he or she is out of the room. A country cannot replace, and can only ask a friend to vote or speak for it.
So, although it will be a real face-to-face montage, it will be a complete set of reserves.
“This does not mean that the right effects will be achieved and that an agreement will be reached quickly,” Roth said. “But after all, I’m optimistic.”
Others are already contemplating a protracted summit until Sunday, with some other imaginable in two weeks.