Restaurants will be closing at 9.30pm despite an 8pm curfew announced on Thursday under a new round of restrictions. But the government has warned the measures will evolve if the situation worsens.
During a press conference on Friday, Minister of State Pierre Dartout provided details about the new restrictions that will be applied in the Principality to combat the rising number of Covid cases.
“These measures follow a double evolution of the situation: France’s decision to lock down its national territory which impacts on the Principality, and the worsening of the health situation even though it remains less worrying than our neighbours,” said the minister of state.
Under the new measures, there will be no lockdown “because the health situation does not justify it”, said Mr Dartout. However, a curfew will be in place from 8pm until 6am, as announced by Prince Albert on Thursday evening, to “maintain freedom of movement and therefore economic activity”.
In a surprising move, the minister of state announced that restaurants, casinos and theatres will be allowed to stay open until 9.30pm. Patrons will need to produce an attestation provided by the establishment or an entry ticket if stopped by authorities on the way home.
Table reservations are mandatory as is a limit of six people per table.
Schools, construction sites and businesses will remain open, although the government strongly recommends remote working, both in the private and public sectors.
Professional sporting events can take place but behind closed doors without spectators.
Meanwhile, bars, snack bars, gyms, swimming pools, and spas will be forced to close.
“These new measures could evolve if the situation worsens,” concluded the minister of state.
Monaco’s Christmas village will not go ahead as planned this year due to the Covid health crisis. But in an effort to avoid too much disappointment, there will be a smaller version in its place and the ice rink will be open.
The Mairie de Monaco announced on Friday that, after consultation with the Prince’s government, it regretfully will not be hosting this year’s Christmas village in its usual format on Port Hercule.
“However, aware of the expectations of the population and of the disappointment caused by a cancellation, the mayor and members of the council wanted a village in a very small format to be set up in the port of Monaco,” said the Mairie in a public statement.
So, from 4th December to 3rd January, four attractions for children will be set up: duck fishing, the traditional carrousel, a new reindeer merry-go-round and another in the shape of a tree.
The area will be decorated with pine trees to give Quai Albert Ier a festive spirit, while a chalet will offer pancakes and waffles to be eaten at the tables provided.
The area will be freely accessible with a compulsory mask. The ice rink is also scheduled to open on 4th December.
The programme is subject to changes in the health situation in the Principality.
Photo courtesy Mairie de Monaco
CleanEquity: Capitalising on the energy transition
One of the most resounding messages to have come out of the Clean Equity forum in Monaco last week is that now is the time to be part of the energy transition; to jump on board the EU Commission’s ambition to be a global leader in sustainability and to take advantage of the enormous opportunities this provides for entrepreneurs and investors.
In their panel discussion attended by Monaco Life, Covington Partner Sebastian Vos and Senior Of Counsel Gary Guzy discussed EU and US decarbonisation strategies, how important this presidential election is in positioning America within the energy transition, how the European Union is moving ahead in leaps and bounds, and how companies can profit in the process.
This is an edited version of that discussion. What are the most significant US and EU policy changes that are on the near-term horizon that will drive decarbonization of carbon intensive sectors of the economy?
Sebastian Vos: The EU Commission tends to operate on a five-year plan so the European Green deal will be their main focus for the next five years, but the aims are much more long term.
The EU Commission announced last month that they want to raise their climate ambition to a 55% reduction in EU greenhouse gases by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. To reach that goal they will focus on, essentially, renewable energy, how various energy systems work together, emissions trading, carbon border tax, environmental financing, how environmental disclosure rules are enforced, and straight funding for a variety of projects.
In fact, funding of €750 billion is to be part of the NextGenerationEU package and one of the most important parts of that will be the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), giving authority to the EU Commission and to the Member States to direct funds in order to support projects.
In terms of decarbonization specifically for energy intensive sectors, there have been seven flagship areas that the EU Commission has identified – two of which are worth flagging. The first is what the commission calls Power Up, which focusses on future-proof clean technology and the acceleration of the development of renewables, particularly hydrogen. The second is called Recharge and Refuel, which has a lot to do with transport, refuelling stations for electric vehicles and extending public transport where possible. So, the EU-wide ambition is to build by 2025 one-third of the three million charging points needed in 2030 and half of the 1,000 hydrogen stations needed.
I would say that with all of this, for the companies involved in this forum, now is really the time to get to grips with what the Commission is trying to do. There are a lot of opportunities. How do policy changes in the United States compare?
Gary Guzy: Well, we will certainly know a lot more in a few weeks.
Firstly, I think a second term in office will allow President Trump to deliver on many steps that he has started. Probably the most prominent example is that soon the US will be able to consummate its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, and the president would also like an opportunity to defend in court his actions to roll back the major carbon reduction initiatives that were undertaken during the Obama administration – including the greenhouse gas limits and fuel switching to the electric power sector, binary standards for motor vehicles that were very ambitious and have been rolled back, and controls over methane leakage from natural gas production. So, we will see a doubling down of the policies of the last four years.
Certainly, that will fuel a further fight between the states led by California and New York who are driving coalitions so they can assert their own greenhouse gas emissions standards and accomplish a clean energy transformation. They make the case that even without US participation at the national level, at the sub-national level the US is still meeting its corresponding obligations.
We expect that a Biden-Harris administration will take a series of sweeping and very robust steps from the very first day in office to fundamentally change the course with the recognition that we are now in the last remaining decade for decisive action to prevent a global climate disaster – an understanding that has really resonated with the former vice president and Senator Harris.
On the international front, there is likely to be a very concerted push to re-establish US climate diplomacy with a signature effort to re-enter the Paris Climate Accord and perhaps host an early climate summit.
Domestically, I would expect that the major climate regulatory rollbacks will be ended, that the administration will take steps to move to a net-zero electric generation system by 2035, to have a robust embrace similar to what Sebastian outlined for the EU with electric cars and trucks, much tougher emission standards, and careful regulation of natural gas as a bridge fuel.
Since the potential Biden-Harris administration is thinking about this transformation as very much part and parcel of its economic recovery plans, known as Building Back Better, we also expect that there will be tens of billions of dollars of significant and creative investment that will be designed to spur new technology to overcome the obstacles, including an advanced research programme. That will generally facilitate regular deployment of renewables, offshore wind, green hydrogen, invest in energy efficiency for buildings both for commercial and residential, and have hundreds of billions of dollars in new clean infrastructure investments, including transit, a revived rail system, and a focus on climate resilience.
The detailed Biden-Harris energy and infrastructure campaign plan calls for investing $2 trillion in the US during the course of the first Biden term, and much of this investment will be designed to address the health and economic equality issues that have come to the fore during the pandemic and recent racial protests in the US, with the explicit commitment that 40% of this investment will benefit frontline communities.
Funding for much of this depends on an aligned and cooperative Congress, but as the current administration has demonstrated, it is certainly possible to accomplish significant policy changes without having full control of the US congress. Given the significant investment opportunities contemplated in both the EU and the US, what are the best leverage points for businesses and investors to influence the contours of these pending policy changes?
Sebastian: Now is a great time to engage. We have moved from that first phase of a ‘big picture’ into the technical level, and I think that this is where a lot of useful work can be done both at the European Union level, primarily the EU Commission, but also at the Member State level, as a lot of funding comes from the Member States.
Gary: I think there will be enhanced expectations on reporting carbon emissions, on sustainability practices, even on carbon intensive investments, and that focus will really grow in the continued absence of US action to address climate if the president is re-elected.
If the election outcome changes things, then businesses should recognise that it will take some time for the transition teams to take their skeleton crews, turn them into landing teams at the agencies, and really get that transition planning into gear.
But then there are terrific opportunities to set a trajectory for the first 100 days of action by the new administration, even the very first day of the signing of executive actions. There will be an opportunity to participate in formulating more sweeping legislative proposals, and given the range of interest in these actions, in our experience, it is often best accomplished through coalitions of like-minded companies, because it helps to amplify their perspective.
I also wouldn’t diminish the importance of partnerships with NGOs, because they can help verify and sell the benefits of proposed actions to really enhance the prominence of proposals being made.
And lastly, given the focus on addressing the issues of equity and inclusion that the new administration is committed to, the more policies and proposed actions that can help frontline communities and communities of colour, whether those be health-based or economic-based outcomes, I think there is more likely to be a real eagerness to embrace those kinds of projects. What are some of the new technologies that would need to be adopted widely to achieve EU and US decarbonization goals, and how would those policies that we have discussed incentivize adoption of those technologies?
Sebastian: There are five areas that are top of mind in Europe at the moment where the EU Commission and governments are working to encourage technologies in a variety of ways through funding and committing state aids, etc. Clean Hydrogen
In July, the Commission released a Hydrogen Strategy for a climate neutral Europe, with the aim to install at least 60GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers by 2024 and 40GW by 2030. There is a corporation that has been set up within Europe, the Clean Hydrogen Alliance, which is being looked at as a recipient of subsidies from different Member States. Batteries
The European Battery Alliance was launched in 2017 with the aim of putting sustainable batteries at the core of the strategy for a sustainable Europe and to decarbonize batteries in the value chain. They have already been approved to receive €3.2 billion in state aid in order to support those efforts. Building renovations
This is where NextGenerationEU funding is important. The Renovation Wave initiative is used to support these efforts and is based on the fact that currently across the EU, an estimated 70% of building stock is inefficient, while around 85% of the buildings that are being built right now are likely to be around for the coming decades. So, there is a lot of inefficiency there and it is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Offshore wind
In June, the EU Investment Bank provided around €175 million in loans for windfarms in Austria and Spain, and we can assume there is more to come. Energy system integration
This refers to the efficient transportation of energy. For example, a lot of the wind energy in Germany is created in the north, whereas industry tends to be located in the middle or south, so they need to make sure they are transporting that in an efficient way.
Gary: I fully agree that those areas are likely to be priorities if there is a change in US administration, and with $2 trillion available, there is an appetite for any area. Agriculture is also a strong focus, transportation, energy production, power generation, and incentives to remove obstacles.
I think there are other areas where there is likely to be a push. Electric charging infrastructure
Vice President Biden is backing 500,000 new chargers to facilitate the transition and really focus on building US manufacturing leadership of electric vehicles to boost jobs. Enhanced energy storage
Recognition of the importance of enhanced transmission to facilitate grid modernisation and resilience. Negative emissions technology
Recognising technologies like carbon capture and removal, as well as tax incentives to facilitate those, given the real challenge of meeting the net zero emissions goals. Would you like to include any final thoughts on decarbonization policies and what we can expect in Brussels, Washington, and other capitals?
Gary: Fasten your seatbelts. The next few weeks and months will be an interesting demonstration of US democracy and the degree to which we really want to be a global leader in finding solutions to these global challenges. We are very much poised for some breath-taking action on climate and clean energy policy that will be at the core of the new administration if there is a change, that those would very much support the kinds of business activities that you in Monaco are pursuing, that would help to align the US with the EU trends that Sebastian has been talking about, and I think create an enormous range of opportunities.
Sebastian: Definitely keep an eye on Brussels but don’t forget the other capitals. Members States are responsible for energy mix, and there is a lot of funding that is being made available at EU level, so you want to make sure you are well connected at the EU level as well to “surf the regulatory wave”.
The EU is actively financially supporting companies that they think are going to be able to push this energy transition agenda forward, so they are picking winners. That is good news if you are one of the companies chosen, if not, it makes the battle harder for you. So, try and be a part of the process, because it will help you and it will help us. And I think a lot of these winning technologies are going to be very profitable.
Top photo: Sebastian Vos, Covington Partner Sebastian Vos, by Monaco Life
AS Monaco Basketball has had a week of change, loss and uncertainty.
It has been a long, strange week for AS Monaco Basketball. The Roca Team announced the departure of Wesley Saunders, who only arrived this season, for greener pastures in Bologna; they racked up another Euro Cup 7 loss against Russian outfit Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar; and their boss has made a public case to try and ensure the season is not again cut short due to Covid-related restrictions.
Wesley Saunders, the 27-year-old American who played college ball at Harvard, is returning to the Series A Italian league to play for Fortitudo Bologna. Saunders had only 10 minutes of court time per game with Monaco, which may be partly the reason for the departure. He has already been replaced by another American, Rob Gray, who played for Boulogne-Levallois before coming to the Rock.
This comes on the heels of a 72-88 loss to Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar. It marks the second Euro Cup 7 match the team has lost in a row. Marcos Knight pulled his weight scoring 17 points, with Captain Dee Bost and Mathias Lessort both scoring 16 apiece. But it wasn’t enough to hold off the Russians who have moved into 2nd place on the table, pushing Monaco down to 3rd.
Then there is Sergey Dyadechko’s impassioned letter on the AS Monaco Basketball website asking the powers that be to continue Jeep Elite games as planned during lockdown. No word has been sent that play will be cancelled, but clearly the fear remains in the forefront of the team president’s thoughts.
“I believe that in the current situation we should all be more pragmatic in seeking compromise solutions that would allow us not to interrupt the 2020-2021 basketball season – all the more so, to my knowledge, since the Government of the French Republic supports the idea of continuing the competitions of professional sports leagues,” he wrote.
The prospect of playing another season without spectators is no doubt unappealing but the idea that it could be cancelled outright is even worse. In the meantime, the Roca Team’s Jeep Elite match against Strasbourg set for Halloween night has been postponed.
Now that France has gone into lockdown, passengers going into and out of Nice airport must once again prove they have a legitimate need to travel. Meanwhile, voluntary rapid Covid testing is now available for travellers from certain routes.
With Friday’s lockdown in place in France, Nice Airport has announced that all passengers will again be required to present a health declaration, and any additional documentation needed to show that travel is necessary for personal, professional or medical reasons.
The airport authorities have stated there may be a reduction in flight schedules during this period and that travellers should consult their airline’s websites to keep abreast of the latest information.
Masks are strictly required both inside and outside of the terminal, as well as on board flights.
Nice Airport has also rolled out a voluntary Covid testing programme that will allow passengers from “red country” routes, such as the United States and Italy, to be tested and know in minutes whether they are positive or not. This service has been offered in Marseilles and Paris since last Monday, and now it is available in Nice as well.
The tests, whilst a good first line of defence, are not considered to be as effective as PCR tests, but as they don’t require a lab to be processed, can give results in as little as 10 minutes. This is a huge step forward for many travellers who had been required to present a negative PCR that was dated within 48 to 72 hours of travel and were virtually unobtainable due to laboratory backlogs.
The hope is that with testing in place at airports, the days of quarantine will come to a close, though experts say precautions must still be taken.
“From the moment the patient has a test, even negative, they must wear a mask on flights. Avoid removing it, and do not serve food or drink, so that there is no possibility for these patients who are moderately positive to contaminate their neighbours,” recommended Jean-Claude Azoulay, vice-president of the National Union of Biological Physicians, on Europe 1. “I think we should continue to do PCR tests and only use antigen tests when travellers really have not been able to get tested, or when there is a stopover.”
An 8pm curfew in Monaco will take effect at midnight Saturday, while restaurants and businesses will be allowed to remain open under new measures announced by the Prince.
In his highly-anticipated address to the Principality on Thursday evening, Prince Albert said that while the number of cases of Covid-19 in Monaco is not high, “there are measures that we have to put in place to control this pandemic.”
“So, I have decided with my government to reinforce measures, the details of which will be revealed tomorrow,” said the head of state.
The Prince did say that a curfew will be in force from 8pm to 6am. Economic activity will be preserved, but with some restrictions for certain sectors.
Restaurants, commerce and cultural institutions will stay open, and teleworking will be encouraged.
Schools and universities will continue as normal respecting the strict health measures.
On Wednesday evening, France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced a nationwide lockdown effective Friday for at least one month. It is a slightly less restrictive lockdown than the one imposed in the spring – schools will remain open – however people are required to carry a document explaining why they are on the streets.
“As you can see, the measures that we are adopting are not the same as the earlier confinement,” said the Prince. “I ask you to be disciplined and respect the measures put in place by your government so we are not forced to take more severe measures.”
The curfew in Monaco will be valid for one month initially. Photo: Screenshot of Prince Albert’s address on Thursday evening
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