Seven Stories – 14/05/2020

In this series, TLH writers select and share seven important legal, political, and commercial developments across the globe in recent weeks.

European Union plans to open borders for the summer tourist season

A gradual lifting of borders has been proposed by the EU's executive in an attempt to revive tourism and airlines industries hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. EU states, most recently, Austria and Germany, have agreed to remove travel restrictions. UK travellers are reminded that a 14-day quarantine will be imposed upon international air arrivals, with the exceptions of France and Ireland. The opening of tourist destinations will resume after goods and workers are flowing smoothly through borders again and appropriate Covid-19 testing and tracing measures are in place.

Keir Starmer puts the pressure on Boris Johnson over care home crisis

In an intense PMQ’s session, Labour leader, Keir Starmer, asked Boris Johnson: “Does the prime minister accept that the government was too slow to protect people in care homes?” This was after he cited ONS figures indicating that 40% of all UK coronavirus deaths had taken place in care homes. On Tuesday, Starmer asked Johnson to explain why there appeared to be 10,000 more deaths in April than were officially attributed to the virus. The Prime Minister’s answers, much like the government’s lockdown easing measures, were unconvincing, and the lack of a supportive atmosphere generated by Conservative backbenchers made it more difficult for Johnson to dodge Starmer’s forensic questions.

China ramps up aggressive defence over coronavirus responsibility

In a quest to counter western accusations that coronavirus originated in their country, Beijing’s emissaries have replaced courtesy and diplomacy with intimidation. In the fight over the pandemic’s narrative, the CCP have resorted to threatening a boycott of Australian produce, pressuring Prague for public praise in exchange for mask shipments, claiming that pensioners in French retirement homes are being left to die, and tweeting conspiracy theories that the US created the pandemic to hurt China. The push is seemingly driven by frustration that efforts to build what China calls “discourse power” on the international stage have had minimal impact.

Angela Merkel 'pained' by Russian hacking

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has confirmed that she was targeted by hackers thought to be Russian military intelligence (GRU), describing the hacking as ‘outrageous’. She was referring to the 2018 attack of the German government’s IT network in which her contacts, private chats and financial details were leaked. However, the scandal dates back to 2015, when data was thieved from the computers of Germany’s parliament. The German chancellor said she would continue to "strive for good relations with Russia", who have denied the accusations.

Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams unlawfully imprisoned, the UK Supreme Court rules

Gerry Adams received a four-and-a-half-year sentence for attempting to escape Maze Prison twice in the 1970s. The Supreme Court decision stated that the initial imprisoning was unlawful as the case had not been ‘considered personally’ by the former secretary of state, Willie Whitelaw, for Northern Ireland. Judge Lord Kerr stated the interim custody order made was invalid, which made his detention unlawful and in turn, his convictions unlawful. This ruling may lead to a floodgate of litigants who are also claiming to have been illegally detained, considering that over 1900 suspected paramilitary group members were interned without trial in the 1970s.

Charges cleared against Frenchman that helped refugees cross French-Italian border

This Wednesday, all charges against Cédric Herrou have been dropped under the ‘principle of fraternity’, the French Constitutional Court, has decided. Herrou has become a symbol during the migrant crisis; he was charged with a four-month suspended sentence in August for aiding around 200 migrants cross the French-Italy border, as well as sheltering 50 Eritreans. The Court also added that under French laws, people are cannot be prosecuted for ‘crimes of solidarity’. The proceedings have been ongoing since August 2017. Many are now arguing that the ruling is essentially a call for a reform in French law that ensures only people smuggling, and not humanitarian assistance, is regarded as an offence.

CMA blocks JD Sports and Footasylum merger at Phase 2 of the investigation

JD Sports’ £90-million takeover of Footasylum would result in a substantial lessening of competition nationally, particularly in the current uncertain trading conditions retailers face during the coronavirus pandemic, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority found during Phase 2 of their investigation of the merger. Evidence that the CMA took into consideration during the investigation included 10,000+ surveys of both company’s customers, showing that customers at both stores view the other as the next best option, alongside an analysis of how these firms compete against other retailers and constraint from suppliers such as Nike and Adidas.