歐洲商報 第227期

2021年6月30日·JUNE 30th 2021·縂第227期ISSUE227 www.chineseineurope.com

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EE將在1月份重新引入歐洲漫遊費 (衛報) 從2022年1月起，從2021年7月7日起加入或升級的遊客在47個歐 洲目的地使用津貼將被收取每天2英鎊。 EE是英國電信集團(BT Group)的子公司，此前曾表示沒有在歐 洲重新引入漫遊費的計劃。 自去年12月簽署歐盟貿易協議以來，該公司是第一家重新引入 這項收費的英國運營商。 自2017年以來，歐盟國家的移動網絡不再被允許向在其他歐盟 國家使用手機的用戶收取額外費用。 有一些「合理使用」的限制，例如，你不能從羅馬尼亞獲得一 份手機合同，然後在意大利全年使用。 然而，它不會向英國用戶收取額外的費用來使用他們在愛爾蘭共 和國的手機。

2021年1月，EE、O2、Three和沃達豐都表示，他們沒有重新引 入漫遊費的計劃，儘管英國脫歐給了他們這樣做的選擇。

前往47個受影響國家的客戶將可以購買30天通行證，在國外使用 本國關稅。這些成本將取決於消費者所依賴的關稅。 週三，有報道稱O2將重新引入漫遊費。

EE週四表示，引入這些收費將「支持對我們英國客戶服務和領 先的英國網絡的投資」。

然而，它只是增加了每月25GB的「合理使用」流量上限，不會向 在歐盟地區使用手機的用戶收取更多費用。 合理的使用限制是正常的，在英國還是歐盟成員國的時候是被允 許的。從下個月開始，Three將把每月20GB的合理使用限制降低 到12GB。 英國與歐盟的貿易協議稱，雙方將鼓勵運營商提供「透明和合理 的漫遊費」，但該協議沒有禁止收費。 政府的指南鼓勵在歐洲旅行的人向他們的移動運營商查詢漫遊費。

2021年6月30日

2時政 ECN欧洲商报

反肥胖運動:晚上9點前禁止播放垃 圾食品的電視廣告 政府將在全英國範圍內，於晚 上9點前禁止電視上播放高糖、 高鹽、高脂肪食品的廣告。 受影響的產品包括巧克力、漢 堡、軟飲料、蛋糕、糖果、冰 淇淋、餅乾、甜果汁、薯片、 薯條和披薩。 網上促銷也會有新的規定，但 是銷售垃圾食品的公司仍然可 以經營網站。 去年，一項全面禁止網絡廣告 的提案被提出，但經過協商後， 該提案已被縮減。英國首相鮑 里斯•約翰遜(Boris Johnson) 把肥胖問題作為政府的首要任 務後，出台了上述電視禁令。 肥胖問題影響著超過四分之一 的英國成年人。 食品公司表示，禁止任何形式 的垃圾食品廣告——每年價值 數億英鎊——是不成比例的。 從明年年底起，垃圾食品的電 視廣告——包括早餐麥片、酸 奶、即食餐、雞塊和炸魚—— 將只允許在晚上9點到早上5點 半之間投放。

在此期間外，「不健康」食品 的廣告也不會播放。 該規定將適用於現場直播和點 播節目，不會影響員工少於 250人的公司，如當地咖喱屋、 披薩店和糖果製造商。 針對網上垃圾食品廣告的24小 時禁令將僅限於付費內容，這 意味著企業可以繼續利用自己 的博客、網站、應用程序或社 交媒體頁面推廣商品。 一位資深廣告行業人士告訴 BBC，電視和網絡禁令只適用 於產品，而不是更廣泛的品牌。 因此，他們補充說，例如，加 里·萊因克爾(Gary Lineker) 仍然可以出現在沃克薯片 (Walker Crisps)的廣告中， 如果他們主打的產品被認為是 健康的。 衛生部表示，這些限制不會影 響到一些高糖、高鹽或高脂肪 的食物，如蜂蜜、橄欖油、牛 油果和馬麥醬，因為這些食物 不被認為是導致兒童肥胖的主 要原因。

廣播和在線出版商將失去工作。 然而，英國心臟基金會(British Heart Foundation)首席執行 官查爾梅因•格里菲斯(Charmaine Griffiths)稱廣告禁令是 「一個大膽而非常積極的步驟」，並補充稱，這是「建設一個 更健康環境的重要組成部分，在這種環境中，健康的選擇是容 易的選擇」。 對於工黨來說，影子衛生部長亞歷克斯·諾里斯說:「僅僅有這 項禁令是不夠的。我們需要一個激進的肥胖策略，確保家庭能 夠獲得健康的食物，支持當地的休閒設施，解決兒童貧困問 題。」 英國國家醫療服務體系表示，大多數體重指數(BMI)在25到29.9 之間的成年人屬於超重，而體重指數在30到39.9之間的成年人 屬於肥胖。

在訪問奧爾德肖特的一個軍 事基地時，卡梅倫說:「恐怕 我們全國都在與肥胖作鬥爭， 我們需要解決這個問題…… 「讓我們控制一下。以我們 對待廣告的方式發出一個信 號是完全正確的。」 英國國民保健服務數據顯示， 自上世紀90年代初以來，英 國人口的體重一直在上升， 目前超過60%的成年人超重或 肥胖。 研究表明，問題往往始於童 年，而那些來自最弱勢背景 的人最有可能遭受痛苦。 政府表示，它熱衷於防止年 輕人消費太多不健康產品， 自2018年以來，製造商不得 不為高糖飲料支付額外的稅。 2006年，儘管電視廚師傑米• 奧利弗(Jamie Oliver)努力 改善學校膳食，但據報道， 一些母親通過學校圍欄向孩 子們推銷高脂肪食品，約翰 遜為她們辯護。

「我說，讓人們想吃什麼就 吃什麼，」他說。「他們為 什麼不能把餡餅從欄桿里推 過去呢?」 但他的觀點已經改變，特別 是自他去年因Covid-19住院 以來。 約翰遜表示，肥胖是與這種 疾病相關的「真正的共病因 素」之一，他補充說:「坦率 地說，減肥是你減少自己感 染冠狀病毒風險的方法之 一。」 但是廣告從業者協會——代 表了大型廣告公司——已經 表示,政府的影響評估顯示了 一個分水嶺禁止高脂肪、糖 和鹽的食物和飲料只會把每 天約1.7卡路里從孩子的飲 食——相當於半個自作聰明 的人。 美國廣告協會公共事務主管 蘇•尤斯塔斯表示，廣告行業 「很失望」，

2021年6月30日

3 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Canada Goose將停止在大衣上使用 所有毛皮 奢侈冬季大衣製造商CanadaGoose 宣佈將不再在其服裝上使用動物 毛皮。 該公司表示，將在今年年底前停 止購買毛皮，並在2022年底前停 止在其產品上使用毛皮。 人道協會表示，這一決定是「殘 酷皮草時尚消亡的重要一步」。

Canada Goose 長期以來一直受到 活動家的批評，因為它在其派克 大衣上使用土狼皮毛。 人道協會執行董事克萊爾巴斯 (ClaireBass)表示:「多年來， Canada Goose 帶有土狼皮毛飾邊 的標誌性派克大衣夾克一直是虐 待皮草的代名詞， 但他們今天的宜布對全球皮草貿易又是一次重大打 擊。」 此舉是CanadaGoose戰略的一部分，旨在提高環保意 識，並擴大可持續材料的使用以及製造外套的低碳方 法。 近年來，許多奢侈時尚品牌已停止在服裝中使用皮草。 美國高檔百貨公司 Nordstrom表示，將在今年年底前 停止銷售用毛皮或異國動物皮製成的產品。 在當時的新任首席創意官Riccardo Tisci的領導下， Burberry於2018年宣佈將停止在其系列中使用兔毛、 狐狸毛、貂皮和浣熊毛皮。意大利的普拉達也承諾停 止使用皮草。

巴斯女士說，皮草是一個「垂死的行業在眾多頂 級設計師和零售商擺脫皮草公關疆夢的打擊下，已經奄奄一息」。 「Canada Goose 的無毛政策將使數以千計的土狼免於在殘酷的金 屬腿夾中致殘和死亡。」她說。

花旗銀行老闆說員工在辦公室工作更好銀 行業巨頭花旗集團的英國老闆曾表示，其 「業務最好在一起工作」，因為該公司計 劃讓員工每周在辦公室工作三天。

2021年6月30日

4 時政 ECN欧洲商报 詹姆斯巴德里克說， 員工需要團結起來 「讓自己和團隊發揮 出最大的作用」他的 評論是在其他公司如 高盛計劃在7月19日 之後讓所有員工回到 辦公室。 一些公司還指導員工 註冊他們的疫苗狀態 花旗駐英國的國家官 員巴德里克先生表示， 在放寬限制後，「絕

大多數」員工將每周 在辦公室工作三天， 每周有兩天在其他地 方工作。 然而，巴德里克先生 告訴BBC電台4的今日 節目:"我們堅信，我 們的業務合作最好 「我們認為我們在一 起會更好我們認為我 們共同為我們的客戶 和我們的組織取得成 功。

「所以我們要說的是， 是的，使用更大的靈 活性，但為了做好你 的工作，作為一名員 工發展，讓你自己和 團隊發揮最大的作用， 我們需要團結在一起。 巴德里克先生表示， 該銀行並沒有複製摩 根大通關於疫苗接種 狀況的政策，但補充 說，任何進入公司大 樓的人都必須「證明

他們的檢測結果為陰性」 摩根大通美國最大的銀行，已指示其美國員工在內 部門戶網站上註冊其疫苗狀態，其老闆木米戴蒙此 前曾表示，他希望員工從7月開始回到辦公室。 與此同時，高盛告訴BBC美國員工必須 接種疫苗的環境中運作，使我們能夠取消使用面罩 和保持身體距離等限制，恢復到更正常的辦公條件。

英國的國際旅行「綠名單」將公佈 在行業老闆聯合呼籲擴大綠 名單之後，英國對外國旅行 的規定的變化將在稍後公佈。 有人猜測馬耳他和西班牙的 伊維薩島馬略卡島和梅諾卡 島可能會被列入綠色名單。 旅遊老闆們還呼籲對來自琥 珀國家的完全接種疫苗的人 進行隔離。 英國首相鮑里斯約翰遜表示， 今年夏天對於那些接受過兩 次刺戳的人來說，這是個 「真正的開放旅行的機會」。 但歐洲假期的前景可能面臨 另一個障礙，此前德國總理 安格拉·默克爾建議所有歐盟 國家都應讓英國旅客在抵達 時進行隔離，以減緩三角洲 病毒的傳播。

2021年6月30日

5 時政 ECN欧洲商报

週四，該英國報道在冠狀病毒檢測呈陽性的28天內，有 16703例病例和21例死亡。 默克爾告訴德國議會「在我們國家如果你來自英國，你必 須接受隔離-這不是每個歐洲國家的情況，這就是我希望看 到的。 現在，從英國前往希臘、西班牙和葡萄牙的人不需要隔離 前往意大利的人必須自我隔離五天，然後進行測試，而前 往法國的完全接種疫苗的英國遊客則無需隔離即可進入。 相比之下，當從琥珀色名單上的大多數度假熱點返回英國 時，旅行者必須自我隔離10天，並支付測試費用。

當被問及默克爾夫人關於Delta變體的言論意味著對英國遊客出國旅行的 更多限制時，約翰遜先生說:「最重要的是，我們認為雙刺確實提供了一 個很好的前進方向，我們認為它們提供了今年夏天旅行的希望， 「我們超過60%的人口現在打過兩次刺戳，我認為83%打過一次刺戳，我 們現在真的挺過來了。關鍵是，挺身而出，接受第二次刺戳，」他說。 他補充說，他不會聲稱夏天會像其他夏天一樣。「我不想給事情蒙上陰影， 但正如我前幾天所說，情況會右所不同。」

貝爾法斯特軟件公司Neueda已被都 柏林的Version1收購。 Version1已經在貝爾法斯特有大量門店，目前正在招聘大約200人 Neueda的客戶遍及公共和私營部門，在金融服務方面具有特殊經驗，並且 一直在快速博長 該公司的收入在2020年增長了38%，達到3200萬英鎊。 Neueda擁有約300名員工，而Version1的貝爾法斯特運營有200名員工 合併後的業務將在其全球業務中擁有近2000名員工，並預計明年的收入將 達到2億歐元(1.7億英鎊)。 交易的財務條款尚未披露。。

Neueda 由Brendan Monaghan 和 David Bole 於2006 年創 立,Monaghan 先生為大股東。Version1首席執行官湯 姆·奧康納(Tom0Connor)表示，該交易為該業務帶來了 「高技能和專業技術團隊」 Neueda執行管理團隊，包括首席執行官PaddyOHagan,將加 入Version1團隊。

6 時政 ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

疫情期間，數百萬人成為百萬富翁 儘管新冠肺炎大流行造成了經濟 損失，但2020年全球仍有超過500 萬人成為百萬富翁。 瑞士信貸研究發現，雖然許多窮 人變得更窮，但全球百萬富翁的 數量增加了520萬，達到5610萬。 2020年，全球超過1%的成年人首 次成為百萬富翁。 股市復蘇和房價飆升幫助他們增 加了財富。 研究人員說，財富創造似乎與這 場流行病的經濟災難「完全無 關」。 他們補充說，較低的利率和政府 支持計劃導致財富從公共部門 「大量轉移」到家庭部門。 這促使家庭儲蓄激增，導致「家 庭金融資產膨脹，導致家庭債務 低於正常水平」。 2020年，全球超高淨值個人(通常被定義為可投資資產超過3000萬美元的個人)的數量增長了24%，這是自2003年以來最快的增長速度。 瑞士信貸表示，其百萬富翁總數可能高於其他組織的估計，因為它包括可投資和不可投資的資產，如自有住房。 《全球財富報告》的作者、經濟學家安東尼·肖洛克(Anthony Shorrocks)表示，這場流行病「對全球市場產生了嚴重的短期影響」，但 他補充稱，「到2020年6月底，這種影響已基本逆轉」。 「面對這種動蕩，全球財富不僅保持穩定，事實上在今年下半年還迅速增長，」他表示。 然而，2020年，成年人之間的財富差距擴大了，肖洛克表示，如果將房價上漲等資產價格上漲排除在分析之外，「那麼全球家庭財富很可 能已經下降」。 「在金融資產不太普遍的較低財富區間，財富往往停滯不前，或者在許多情況下出現倒退，」他表示。

「隨著時間的推移，一些潛在因素可能會自我修正。 例如，利率將在某個時候開始再次上升，這將抑制資 產價格。」 報告稱，全球總財富增長了7.4%。 自21世紀初以來，擁有1萬至10萬美元財富的人數增 加了兩倍多，從2000年的5.07億增加到2020年年中的 17億。 他們表示，這一增長反映了「新興經濟體，尤其是中 國的日益繁榮，以及發展中國家中產階級的擴張」。 瑞士信貸(Credit Suisse)首席投資官楠內特·赫勒 (Nanette Hechler-Fayd ' herbe)表示:「不可否認， 政府和央行採取行動，組織大規模收入轉移計劃，以 支持受疫情影響最嚴重的個人和企業，並通過降低利 率，成功避免了一場全面的全球危機。」 她補充道:「央行降息的影響可能最大。 「這是股價和房價飆升的主要原因，這些直接轉化為 我們對家庭財富的估值。」 但她補充稱，這些干預「付出了巨大代價」。 「在世界範圍內，許多國家的公共債務相對於國內生 產總值上升了20個百分點或更多。 「公共部門對家庭的慷慨支出意味著家庭可支配收入 相對穩定，在一些國家甚至有所上升。」 赫克勒-費德赫比表示，股價和房價「飆升」的一個 「主要原因」是銀行降低利率，她補充稱，這「直接 轉化為我們對家庭財富的估值」。

7 時政 ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

壳牌碳减排计划遭质疑 股东督 促其积极应对气候危机 据英国《金融时报》报道，伦 敦金融城历史最悠久的基金管 理公司之一Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM)周二在壳牌年度股东大 会上投票反对该公司的气候过 渡目标。 这家资产管理公司隶属于法通 保险公司(Legal & General)， 管理着逾1.2万亿英镑的资产。 该公司对《卫报》(Guardian) 表示，他们加入了反对壳牌公 司碳减排计划的股东行列，对 壳牌公司施加了巨大压力。 “我们担心中期目标的强度 (2035)石油和天然气生产和披 露计划达不到所需水平。”

在会议上，一项股东决议呼吁壳牌公司通过设定有约束力的碳减排目标，为应对气候危机做出更多努力，该决议获得了 30%的投票。 LGIM是支持的选民之一。这一结果表明，壳牌面临的压力有所升级，并意味着该公司将被迫征询股东意见，并在6个月内 报告他们的意见。 该决议是由一个名为Follow This的活动组织提出的，该组织利用维权投资向石油公司施压，要求它们按照2015年巴黎气 候协议设定的限制去碳化。 壳牌就其减少碳排放的“能源转型战略”进行了投票。该决议以88%的赞成票获得通过。然而，尽管LGIM对这两项投票都 表示了一些保留意见，但LGIM转而反对管理战略，支持Follow This。 Follow This创始人马克•范•巴力(Mark van Baal)表示:“这对壳牌董事会来说确实是一个非常强烈的信号，表明他们目 前的目标不足以实现巴黎气候协议的(目标)。这是投资者们一个接一个意识到的。” LGIM对气候危机的呼声越来越高:去年10月，它宣布将扩大 在该领域的参与活动，并将“通过投票和投资制裁，系统 性地追究企业的责任”。今年3月，其首席执行官米歇 尔·斯克林杰(Michelle Scrimgeour)表示，冠状病毒大流 行“强调了应对迫在眉睫的威胁(比如气候灾难)的重要性， 否则就太晚了”。 英国投资者和养老金计划客户持有的一些集团最大的基金 中，壳牌是他们最大的资产之一。 根据《巴黎协定》，近200个国家同意将全球气温上升幅度 控制在远低于2摄氏度的范围内，并希望全球气温不会比工 业化前的水平高出1.5摄氏度。

2021年6月30日

8 時政 ECN欧洲商报

赫塞爾廷說，政府對待企業的方式 「混亂」且「不連貫」 前保守黨工業部長赫塞爾廷勳爵形容政府與企業 打交道的方式混亂而不連貫。 赫塞爾廷勳爵曾說過一句名言，如果有必要，他 將「在早餐、午餐和晚餐前」干預商業和市場， 但他現在對政府戰略持悲觀態度。 「在現政府統治下，一切都變得混亂了，」他說。 「前一分鐘你有一個產業戰略，後一分鐘你沒 有。」 「新的委員會成立，然後解散，」他補充說。 「我認為，他們在一系列項目上亂花錢，很少試 圖協調結果，也很少試圖調動本地優勢，也很少 試圖分析我們面臨的競爭挑戰。」 英國商業、能源和工業戰略部(Beis)的一位發言 人回應稱，該部的「增長計劃」承認，「在充滿 活力的企業經濟中，一個強大而活躍的政府是我 們成功的關鍵」。

這位發言人說:「通過在基礎設施、技能和創新方面的重大公共投資，我們將 進一步支持新產業和高質量就業崗位的創造，使英國的每個地方都保持水平。」 但是政府和企業的適當關係是什麼呢？ 我最近去布里斯托爾附近的空客公司菲爾頓工廠會見了商務部長誇西·誇騰。 空客是政府介入商業的一個很好的例子。一個泛歐洲政府驅動和部分資助的任 務，以承擔美國航空巨頭。 英國的獨立股權很久以前就被出售了，最近空中客車公司對英國退出歐盟提出 了激烈的批評，但當誇騰先生正式啓動一個新的4000萬英鎊的機翼技術中心時， 它卻是滿面春風，政府為此出資2000萬英鎊。 「這是一個非常密切的合作關係，」誇滕先生說。「在英國退出歐盟期間，空 客有一種觀點，政府有另一種觀點，但今天引人注目的是我們完全團結了。 "空客是一流的公司，他們非常渴望與政府合作.“

「我認為我們永遠是一個自由市場黨，」誇滕說。「但 在2021年，我們意識到有一系列與英國有戰略關聯的行 業，我們非常非常樂意與私營部門合作推動創新。」 但是影子商務部長埃德·米利班德並不認為保守黨真正 相信政府在商業中的重要作用。 他說:「我認為本屆政府的問題在於，首先，我們知道他 們最近放棄了制定工業戰略的想法，即白皮書，並取消 了工業戰略委員會。」。 「這告訴了你一些關於他們的情況，基本上他們或多或 少地相信，市場會很好地為我們服務，主要是靠它自己。 因此，他們口頭上支持公共部門與私營部門一起發揮強 大作用的想法。 「但這並沒有在實踐中發生。這令人深感遺憾，因為我 們作為一個國家面臨著如此巨大的挑戰，無論是氣候危 機，還是不平等危機，還是從疫情中恢復。 「我們成功的唯一途徑是公共部門與私營部門合作，創 造財富，應對這些挑戰。」

在過去，保守黨的正統觀念似乎是盡可能降低稅收，盡可能放鬆監管，讓所謂 的「財富創造者」繼續工作。 那麼保守黨政府的DNA到底怎麼了？

2021年6月30日

9 時政 ECN欧洲商报

莫里森公司的股價在收購要約中 飆升了28%

感興趣，部分原因是該公司擁有大量自由持有的 房產，他們會將這些房產「出售並租回」，以產 生現金來償還自己。" 莫里森擁有包括超市在內的85%的房產.科赫先生 說:「這沒有增加任何真正的價值，公司可以自己 做到這一點。因此，我個人並不指望在這個水平 上競標成功。“ CD&R對莫里森公司的成功收購將標誌著今年私人 股本公司第二次參與收購一家英國超市。 今年早些時候，TDR Capital和總部位於布萊克本 的伊薩兄弟從美國母公司沃爾瑪(Walmart)手中收 購了阿斯達(Asda)的多數股權，這家超市的估值 為68億美元。然而，工黨負責商業的影子部長塞 瑪·馬爾霍特拉(Seema Malhotra)對收購莫里森 公司(Morrisons)可能對勞動力產生的影響表示謹 慎。 「我們的超市... 需要將企業及其員工的長期利 益放在首位的所有者，」她說。 「當德本漢姆破產時，我們看到私人股本公司走 開了，而員工失去了工作，那些已經向養老金計 劃付款的員工被留在了口袋里。不可靠的私人股 本公司常常讓公司背上債務，一邊將股息收入囊 中一邊離開。這必須結束。"美國工會拒絕對CD&R 的提議及其對就業的影響發表評論。 CR&R過去曾對英國零售業進行過投資——通過出 售其在折扣連鎖店B&M的股份獲得了10億英鎊的銀 行存款——樂購前首席執行官特里·萊希爵士 (Sir Terry Leahy)是該公司的高級顧問。莫里森 的整個執行董事會由樂購的前高管組成，包括首 席執行官大衛·波茨、首席運營官特雷弗·勞雷

在一家美國私人股本公 司出價55億美元收購這 家超市集團後，莫里森 公司的股價飆升了28%。 週一，該股收於228便 士，略低於克萊頓·杜 比利耶&賴斯(Clayton Dubilier & Rice)提出 的每股230便士。 莫里森的董事會拒絕了 這一提議，稱其「嚴重 低估了」該業務「及其 未來前景」。 然而，有人猜測此舉可 能會促使其他人競購該 集團。 莫里森斯是英國第四大 連鎖超市，擁有近500 家店鋪，員工約11.8萬 人。 《零售週刊》的執行編 輯喬治·麥克唐納說， CD&R的提議「可能會吸 引更多的競標者」。 他指的是對收購阿斯達 感興趣的私人股本公司 阿波羅全球管理公司和 孤星基金。

「但莫里森公司有趣的 一點是它與亞馬遜的密 切關係，」他告訴BBC 《今日》節目。

視的力量，但它會成為。 你想知道這種情況是否 會引起他們的興趣。" 亞馬遜擁有美國連鎖超 市全食超市，該超市在 莫里森斯從2016年開始 倫敦也有七家分店。 與亞馬遜建立關係，根 根據英國的收購規定， 據這種關係，超市通過 CD&R必須在7月17日之 亞馬遜的網站出售新鮮 前宣佈收購或退出的明 農產品和食品。 確意向。它最初的提議 麥克唐納先生說:「到 是以每股230便士的價 目前為止，亞馬遜還沒 格收購莫里森公司。 有真正成為一股不可忽 除了現金收購，CD&R還 視的力量，但它會成為。 將收購莫里森公司32億 你想知道這種情況是否 英鎊的債務，使任何交 會引起他們的興趣。" 易的總價值接近90億英 亞馬遜擁有美國連鎖超 鎊。 市全食超市，該超市在 然而，莫里森公司十大 倫敦也有七家分店。 股東之一的法律和普通 係，」他告訴BBC《今 投資管理公司批評了這 日》節目。 家私募股權公司的做法。 莫里森斯從2016年開始 寶潔高級基金經理安德 與亞馬遜建立關係，根 魯·科赫(Andrew Koch) 據這種關係，超市通過 向英國《金融時報》表 亞馬遜的網站出售新鮮 示，零售行業總體上 農產品和食品。 「看起來被低估了」， 麥克唐納先生說:「到 他補充稱:「私募股權 目前為止，亞馬遜還沒 投資者似乎對莫里森公 有真正成為一股不可忽 司

和首席財務官邁克爾·格里森。莫里森公司的董事長安德魯·希金森也是樂購的長期 高管。 通過CD&R，特里爵士還是汽車燃料集團的主席，該集團經營著數百家汽油前院和便利 店。 2018年，CD&R以12億美元收購了便利和汽油前院公司MRH。汽車燃料集團和MRH共同經 營著約900個銷售品牌的網站，如英國石油公司、埃索公司、殼牌公司以及布德金斯公 司、科斯塔咖啡公司和斯巴公司。 與樂購和塞恩斯伯里不同，莫里森斯幾乎沒有便利店。與CD&R的交易可能會讓這家超 市的品牌在汽車燃料集團的網站上鋪開。 阿斯達的新所有者祖貝爾·伊薩和莫欣·伊薩也是乙二醇集團的聯合首席執行官，該 集團在10個國家經營著6000多個便利店和加油站。通過阿斯達交易，他們獲得了323個 便利和汽油前院。

10 時政 ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

儘管擔心通貨膨脹，英格蘭銀行仍拒 絕加息 儘管擔心隨著經濟復蘇步伐加快，今年通脹將 加速，但英格蘭銀行仍將利率維持在歷史低點。 針線街貨幣政策委員會(MPC)的政策制定者表 示，利率應保持在0.1%，直到清楚經濟復蘇的 速度以及企業提價的壓力有多大。 央行還表示，將保持其電子貨幣印刷計劃，即 量化寬松，以保持整個秋季的復蘇。 首席經濟學家安迪霍爾丹(Andy Haldane)是貨 幣政策委員會(MPC)中唯一在QE計劃達到8950 億歐元之前投票縮減該計劃的成員，這與他在 5月份貨幣政策委員會最後一次會議上的投票 結果一致。 今年5月，該行政策制定者將他們對2021年英 國國內生產總值(GDP)增長的預期從2月份的5% 上調至7.25%。 MPC表示，新冠肺炎疫苗的快速進展和限制的 放鬆為支出的激增鋪平了道路，因為消費者開 始參觀以前關閉的餐館、咖啡館和休閒設施。 最近幾個月，通脹率有所上升，官方數據估計， 5月份通脹率達到2.1%，略高於央行2%的目標 水平。 央行和大多數倫敦金融城經 濟學家曾估計，通脹將在今 年達到3%左右的峰值，然後 在2022年降至2%左右，儘管 一些分析師警告稱，通脹可 能達到4%。 2011年，隨著經濟從2008年 的銀行危機中復蘇，英國的 通脹率達到5.2%，隨後幾年 又回落。

在爭取工會權利的法庭鬥爭中 Deliveroo騎手遭遇挫折 上訴法院維持了先前的判決，認定送餐員是自營職業者，此後， 一些送餐員試圖獲得員工合法身份的努力遭到了挫折。 自2017年以來，英國獨立工人工會(IWGB)一直在通過法院爭取 將Deliveroo騎手歸類為「工人」，有權成立工會並集體談判 更好的條款和條件。上訴法院認可了先前的判決，裁定 Deliveroo騎手應被視為自營職業者，沒有通過工會組織的權 利。這項裁決取決於騎手是否有權安排一名替代者來履行他們 的職責，如果他們不想或不能的話。 審理上訴的三名法官之一，大法官昂德希爾(Lord Justice Underhill)承認，這一判決可能被視為「違反直覺」，因為從 事零工經濟的工人可能特別需要加入工會，以獲得更好的工資 和條件。

但他表示，儘管他們有組織權，但他們無權通過工會這樣做。 他說，這是因為他們不屬於《歐洲人權公約》第11條下的僱員 定義，該公約規定了包括工會在內的集會自由規則。 法官說，最高法院2月份的一項裁決認定優步司機應該享有工 人權利，該裁決與Deliveroo騎手的申請沒有關係，因為該案 件並不取決於對第11條的解釋。 Deliveroo案的三名法官一致駁回了IWGB的上訴，拒絕了工會 向最高法院上訴的權利。 該公司的一名發言人表示:「今天對Deliveroo騎手來說是個好 消息，標誌著一個重要的里程碑.」該公司今年早些時候的股 票上市被廣泛視為失敗，部分原因是投資者擔心騎手的就業狀 況。Deliveroo股價週四上漲近7%。

2021年6月30日

11 時政 ECN欧洲商报

「英國法院現在已經四次測試並維持了 Deliveroo騎手的自營職業身份。 「我們向騎手傳達的信息很明確。我們 將繼續支持你按照你想要的方式工作的 權利，我們將繼續傾聽你的意見，並對 你最關心的事情做出回應。Deliveroo 的模式提供了真正的靈活性，這種靈活 性只與自營職業兼容，為騎手提供他們 告訴我們他們重視的工作。那些消除騎 手靈活性的運動並不代表絕大多數騎手， 而是試圖強加一種騎手不想要的工作方 式

Deliveroo將繼續為像像我們這樣的公司努力，使他們能夠提供充分的自主創業的靈活性， 以及更大的福利和更大的安全性。」《衛報》聯繫了英國獨立工人工會進行評論。

頂級保險公司和查爾斯王子联手對抗 氣候危機 英國最大保險公司的首席執行官與威爾士親王 聯手，成立了一個旨在應對氣候危機的全行業 工作組。 可持續市場倡議保險工作隊由來自17家公司的 老闆組成，包括法律和通用、安聯、希斯考克 斯和安盛。該工作隊承諾支持向碳密集度較低 的經濟轉型，擴大離岸風電場等項目的保險覆 蓋面，並與政府合作，在面臨嚴重風險(如全球 變暖導致的極端天氣)的國家提供更好的災難保 護。 「氣候變化已經產生了影響——你可以在加利 福尼亞的野火中看到這一點，在澳大利亞的持 續乾旱中也可以看到這一點，」倫敦勞埃德保 險市場主席布魯斯·卡內基-布朗(Bruce Carnegie-Brown)說，他是該工作組的主席。 「因此，現在客戶對這類保護的需求越來越大，我們需要對此做出回應。」 wildfires in California 他表示，許多個別公司已經開始提供更多氣候友好型保險，但未能在整個行業進行 協調。 「王子真正在做的是幫助我們召集和激發整個行業的反應，」他補充道。「人們不 是出去做他們自己的事情，而是實際上帶來了他們的一些知識產權，以及他們對現 有的一些發現和研究進行報告的能力，對什麼影響最大。」 工作隊成立的標誌是查爾斯參觀了倫敦勞埃德保險公司在萊姆街一號一級上市大樓 的承銷室，該小組週四在那裡舉行了第二次會議。 王子在2月份首次召集的該集團正在推進擴大氫和核電保險範圍的計劃，並在家庭保 險政策中增加條款，鼓勵因火災或洪水而失去家園的客戶用更可持續的材料進行重 建。 卡內基-布朗警告說，如果保險業不迅速採取行動，它將被迫採取更激烈的行動，以 幫助實現到2050年淨零碳排放的全球目標。這可能意味著為未能向更可持續的商業 模式轉型的碳密集型公司打掩護。 美國和歐洲的保險公司是僅次於養老基金的第二大機構投資者群體，擁有約30萬億 美元(21.5萬億英鎊)的資產。根據「不友好煤炭」運動的數據，它們在化石燃料方 面的投資接近6000億美元。 「作為一個行業，我們需要支持我們的客戶進行(轉型)，但如果我們認為我們的客 戶無法轉型，我們也需要做出艱難的決定，」勞埃德董事長表示。倫敦勞埃德保險 公司已經承諾，到2022年1月停止為煤炭、油砂和北極能源項目提供新的保險，到 2030年完全退出這項業務。 「我們只是眾多行業中的一個，但我們都需要盡自己的一份力量來保護地球，因為 我認為這是一個非同尋常的系統性風險，」卡內基-布朗說。

2021年6月30日

12 時政 ECN欧洲商报

在“北海決定”之前，石油和天然氣 捐贈者給了保守黨40多萬英鎊 過去一年，與石油和天然氣行業相關 的個人和公司向保守黨捐贈了40多萬 英鎊，而政府正在醖釀有爭議的新許 可證，以勘探北海的化石燃料生產基 地。

萬英鎊來自石油和天然氣技術及服務 專家巴爾莫勒爾集團控股公司；155， 000英鎊來自阿拉斯代爾·洛克，他是 油井安全解決方案公司的非執行主席， 該公司使石油和天然氣開採點退役；

環境調查小組德斯蒙德和《衛報》的 研究發現，從去年7月到3月底(有數據 可查的最新日期)的披露顯示，對石油 和天然氣(包括北海)有濃厚興趣的捐 贈者向保守黨捐贈了至少41.9萬英鎊。

OES資產完整性管理的創始人理查 德·厄普捨的近2萬份；以及燃氣輪機 公司Centrax的25，000英鎊。這些捐 款是在政府考慮英國北海利潤豐厚的 油氣田的未來發展時提供的。一項審 查於去年9月正式啓動，隨後於3月24 日宣佈了新一輪油氣井許可，政府和 私營部門的聯合投資高達160億英鎊， 儘管這種發展可能對英國的氣候目標 產生負面影響。

捐款包括:恩奎斯特(EnQuest)首席執 行官阿姆賈德·布塞蘇(Amjad Bseisu) 共計2.5萬英鎊，恩奎斯特是一家在北 海擁有濃厚興趣的油氣公司，自2013 年以來，他已向該黨捐款逾40萬英鎊； 20

英國將於今年11月在

格拉斯哥主辦一次至關重要的聯合國峰會——第26屆締約方大會，會上將要求所 有國家在未來十年提出嚴格的溫室氣體減排目標，並緊急從化石燃料向可再生能 源和低碳經濟轉型。第二十六屆締約方會議被廣泛認為是在氣候「成敗」的十年 中，讓世界走上實現2015年巴黎氣候協議軌道的最後機會之一。 部長們尋求新一輪北海許可證的決定在氣候談判中引起了高級官員的嚴重關注。 其他國家，包括丹麥和法國，正在停止對新化石燃料生產的投資。 這一決定也是在英國委託國際能源署(International Energy Agency)發佈分析報 告之前 做出的，該報告顯示，如果世界要根據科學建議將全球氣溫限制在1.5攝氏度 以內，所有化石燃料的新開發必須在今年後停止。 據《衛報》瞭解，捐款的公司或其高級人員被列為捐款人的公司，沒有就石油 和天然氣許可證的發放向政府提出直接抗議，部長們在過去一年中沒有與這些 公司舉行過會議。 駱家輝告訴《衛報》，作為一名退役舊址的專家，「安全解決方案」參與了北 海工業的清理，而不是其擴張。他補充說，他的捐款是給蘇格蘭保守黨的，他 支持該黨，希望維護聯盟。 「我們不是在探索，我們是能量轉換的一部分，」他說。「我非常希望蘇格蘭 仍然是英國的一部分，我不認為蘇格蘭不成為英國的一部分有什麼好處，蘇格 蘭保守黨是最強大的統一黨。 巴爾莫勒爾集團的一名發言人表示，其大部分工作是在海外進行的:「(約)90% 的產品出口到世界各地的深水油田——南美、西非、遠東等，在北海的業務很 少。 其他公司和保守黨沒有回應置評請求。 英國政府表示，只有在「符合政府的廣泛氣候變化目標，包括英國到2050年實現淨零(碳排放)的目標」的情況下，才應該發放油氣許可證。 一個標準的「檢查點」將決定新的勘探方案是否能在這些氣候目標內運行，該檢查點已承諾在今年年底前完成。 商業、能源和工業戰略部(BEIS)的一位發言人表示:「英國正在努力降低對化石燃料的需求，消除我們對氣候變化的影響，但我們也知道， 正如獨立的氣候變化委員會所承認的那樣，對石油和天然氣的需求將繼續存在。 「在宣佈我們具有里程碑意義的北海過渡協議之前，BEIS與環保團體就石油和天然氣許可問題舉行了兩次圓桌會議，該協議提出了支持石 油和天然氣行業轉型、同時支持數萬個就業崗位的計劃。 雷

2021年6月30日

13 時政 ECN欧洲商报

英國房地產開發商聖莫文接受美 國私人股本集團的新報價 房地產開發商聖莫文接 受了美國投資者黑石集 團(Blackstone)的更高 報價，該公司估值為13 億英鎊，這是私人股本 收購一家中型英國公司 的最新例子。 聖莫德文已同意黑石汽 車的最終報價為每股 560便士。在總部位於 紐約的黑石集團5月初 首次披露興趣的前一天， 出價比每股448便士的 股價高出25%。週四上 午，股價上漲0.5%，至 554便士。在疫情爆發 前，英國以外的私人股 本投資者已經坐擁大量 現金，此後紛紛撲向被 視為被低估的英國公司， 部分原因是英國退出歐 盟與歐盟的貿易協議能 否達成存在不確定性。 美國投資者瞄准的其他

英國公司包括連鎖超市 莫里森公司 (Morrisons)、航空航 天製造商Senior和基礎 設施投資者約翰·萊恩 (John Laing)。數據公 司Dealogic的數據顯示， 2021年迄今為止，外國 私人股本投資者的投資 額超過了2007年以來的 任何一年。中型公司富 時250指數(FTSE 250 index)的成員聖莫德文 (St Modwen)在冠狀病 毒大流行期間苦苦掙扎， 截至11月底的一年中， 該公司虧損1.2億英鎊， 原因是隨著封鎖開始， 該公司減記了住宅用地 和零售資產的價值。該 公司已經在減少對實體 零售場所和辦公樓的投 資，以及土地再生項目， 如西米德蘭茲郡長

橋的舊MG Rover工廠。 相反，它將重點放在兩 個受益於流行病趨勢的 領域:網上分娩和房價 的繁榮。倉庫投資的價 值大幅上升。截至2020 年底，約13.7億英鎊的 物流資產佔其投資組合 價值的49%，較2019年 的40%有大幅增長.在房 地產行業，聖莫文的目 標是2021年增長25%。 聖莫德文股東成功地辯 稱，黑石每股542便士 的初始出價太低，僅略 高於該公司在大流行前 每股530便士的高估值。 2020年，股價跌至每股 近300便士。 黑石表示，最新報價的 條款是最終的，但它保 留在另一個潛在買家介 入的情況下提出更高報 價的權利。

蓉城绣郎 作者：罗莘

他沉浸于自己喜爱的蜀绣， 常人眼中只有女子才做的精细 手工，他却以一个男儿身，坚 守了大半辈子，有过痛苦、有 过挣扎，经历过迷茫，也走过 岔路，但没有什么能泯灭他的 这份刺绣情怀，没有什么能让 他放弃。他就是蜀绣省级非遗 传承人，赵崇延。蜀绣、苏绣、 湘绣、越绣，四大名绣早在清 代就确立了，其中蜀绣又名川 绣，是以成都为中心的川西平 原一带的刺绣，是“蜀中之 宝”，最早见于西汉的记载， 当时的工艺已相当成熟，而到 了清末至民国初年， 蜀绣在国际上已享有很高声誉，在民国四年（1915年）国 际巴拿马赛中荣获金奖。新中国成立后，在四川设立了成 都蜀绣厂，使蜀绣工艺的发展进入了一个新阶段，技术上 不断创新赵崇延从十三岁就开始跟随母亲刺绣了，他生活 在一个颇有艺术氛围的家庭，父亲是当地小有名气的画家， 受家庭环境的熏陶，小小年纪的他就笃定地向妈妈“立 志—-我以后会接您的班”。连妈妈也没想到，一语中的， 儿子从此再也没有放下过手里的这根绣针。1978年，十八 岁的赵崇延顶替母亲的岗位来到了成都蜀绣厂，跟随名师 魏光建。 破天荒：蜀绣一百三十三种针法技巧，高僧倾囊相授，徒 弟天分过人，仅一年的时间，学徒转正，评定了二级工。 工资也从十七块一下子涨到了三十二块五。 加上改革开放 时期，行业实行计件制，市场上的蜀绣产品供不应求，对 于如此一位勤劳肯干的技能巧手，赵崇延得到了命运的垂 青，名利双收，1990年还被评为成都市劳动模范，先进个 人。生活也并不永远优待某一个人：从1993年开始，企业 转型， 计划经济变成了承包制度，蜀绣厂开始走下坡路， 员工的生活越来越困难，赵崇延也选择了停薪留职，每天 上午蹬三轮车拉生意，以补贴家用他说：我的初心就是蜀 绣，做一件产品，从开始到结束，有一种很强烈的满足感。

父亲的话始终在我耳边响起：不论你做什么，我希望你做一 幅震惊国内外的作品。赵崇延从小就对图案的构思和色彩的 搭配 有着自己独到的见解。从事蜀绣四十余年，赵崇延掌握了蜀 绣各种针法和技法，制作了大量的人物、走兽、花鸟、虫鱼、 山水等蜀绣作品，无论是单面绣、双面绣，还是双面异色绣、 双面异色异形绣等，他都游刃有余，同时，他还独创了几种 新的针法，让蜀绣的层次和变化更加丰富多元。他能在原作 的基础上，利用自己纯熟的技艺和创意，给观众呈现一幅幅 耳目一新的作品。例如《五百罗汉拜观音》取自吴彬绘制的《五百罗汉》，通卷格调章节性完整和谐， 妙趣横生。其人物造型各异，神态怪诞而超凡脱俗。面部表情丰富而夸张，又窥见世俗生活的情趣。 这是一幅极具艺术鉴赏、品味，和宗教氛围的传世佳作， 赵崇延以吴彬原稿为蓝本，在尊重佛教色 彩的基础上，给不同级别罗汉穿上不同的衣服，使用不同的花纹等等，灵活运用蜀绣艺术进行再创作， 令观者眼前一亮。期待看到他更多的蜀绣佳作。 他说：我的初心就是蜀绣，做一件产品，从开始到结束，有一种很强烈的满足感。父亲的话始终在我 耳边响起：不论你做什么，我希望你做一幅震惊国内外的作品。赵崇延从小就对图案的构思和色彩的 搭配 有着自己独到的见解。从事蜀绣四十余年，赵崇延掌握了蜀绣各种针法和技法，制作了大量的人物、 走兽、花鸟、虫鱼、山水等蜀绣作品，无论是单面绣、双面绣，还是双面异色绣、双面异色异形绣等， 他都游刃有余，同时，他还独创了几种新的针法，让蜀绣的层次和变化更加丰富多元。他能在原作的 基础上，利用自己纯熟的技艺和创意，给观众呈现一幅幅耳目一新的作品。例如《五百罗汉拜观音》 取自吴彬绘制的《五百罗汉》，通卷格调章节性完整和谐，妙趣横生。其人物造型各异，神态怪诞而 超凡脱俗。面部表情丰富而夸张，又窥见世俗生活的情趣。这是一幅极具艺术鉴赏、品味，和宗教氛 围的传世佳作， 赵崇延以吴彬原稿为蓝本，在尊重佛教色彩的基础上，给不同级别罗汉穿上不同的 衣服，使用不同的花纹等等，灵活运用蜀绣艺术进行再创作，令观者眼前一亮。期待看到他更多的蜀 绣佳作。

2021年6月30日

16 時政 ECN欧洲商报

首席代表签证解析 英国海外公司首席代表签证简称为首席代表签证，是指英国境外公司例如中国大陆公司派遣一名高级管理人员前往英国设立分公司 或者代表处，籍此英国移民局签发给申请者所需的签证。 此签证是工作类别的签证，海外总公司为其担保人，申请人需全职为其工作。也可以归类为商业移民签证，涉及到海外公司在英国 的商业投资。此签证适合那些总部在英国境外，有意发展英国市场的企业高级管理人员，家族企业或公司高管希望在英创业。 其特点是对英文能力要求较低，仅需雅思3分。没有投资资金的要求，不需要申请者拥有在英经历或学历，且允许主申请人携带家 属和未成年子女。此签证审批速度快，审批周期1-3个月。 五年期满后家属可随主申请人全家同时申请英永居。 那么申请首席代表签证需要什么条件？ 申请人需要满足以下条件申请此签证： 首先，必须受雇于一家总部在英国境外的公司，申请人有稳定的经济来源，确保有经济能力维持本人及家属在英国的生活； 其次，申请人是该公司的高级职员但是不可以是公司的大股东，其配偶也不允许是主要股东； 另外，申请人在公司从事的业务范围内拥有相当的工作经验和专业知识，必须能够全权对公司的英国业务做决策。 对于英国分公司或办事处的要求是一定要和海外母公司经营相同类型的业务；总公司没有打算将公司总部转移到英国，没有对公司 资金和规模的要求，但总公司要有完整的海外发展计划。 成功获批的申请者可以获得为期三年的首签签证,三年签证期满前申请两年续签。三年之内如果首席代表签证持有人仍为同一家海 外公司工作，且此海外公司的总部仍在英国境外并正常运营，英国分公司或办事处也按照当初申请签证时的商业计划开展了一定的 业务活动，则申请人可获得为期两年的续签签证。 签证持有人在英国居住满五年，期间企业持续运营，满足居住要求和英文条件，可以全家申请英国永居。 此签证持有人可以免费注册家庭医生(GP)以及到公立医院就诊，未满18周岁的孩子可以免费在公立学校就读。

（供稿：邦德律师行Ellie 联系方式：07475770700）

17 時政 ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

新闻稿：华人资料及咨询中心再次成功争取到在 伦敦唐人街举办流动疫苗接种服务！这次威斯敏 斯市政府和国家保健服务NHS于6月28日在伦敦唐 人街中国站为年满十八岁的当地居民及在英华人 安排疫苗接种活动。当天成功接种了辉瑞及阿斯 康利合共超过1220支疫苗。其中在5月27接种了第 一剂阿斯利康的阿伟（化名）亦顺利在6月28日接 种了第二剂。他赞扬这次团队安排得特别周到

为每位到场人士细心安排及为前来接种的侨胞提供翻译服务。而国会议员妮基·艾肯及 地区议员蒂姆·米切尔亦到场为医护团队、前来接种人士及志愿者们打气！华人资料及 咨询中心主席杨庆权太平绅士对市政府及NHS对华社的关注表示欢迎，而华人资料及咨询 中心将继续为华社争取，在伦敦唐人街提供免费流动疫苗接种服务。

18 社區

ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

19社區

ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

Sole Representative Visa Sole Representative Visa is an abbreviation of Sole Representative Visa of an Overseas Business, which is for business headquartered outside the UK, posted an employee to the UK to established a branch or a wholly owned subsidiary, therefore the home office granted a visa to the employee for working in the UK. This visa is suitable for senior executives of companies headquartered overseas and interested in developing the UK market; suitable for shareholders of family businesses or executives of the company who want to start a business in Britain and develop their business overseas.

The advantages for this visa is low level language requirements(ILETS 3.0 ), and no source of funds requirement and zero cost. The applicant can bring their spouse and children to the UK, so it benefits the whole family. The application process time is between 1-3 months.

The requirements: Applicant is not allowed to be a major shareholder, the same requirement applies to their spouse; Applicant must be employed by a company outside of the UK with an executive role and must be able to make decisions independently without consultation; Applicant must have the relevant knowledge and work experience Having a business plan to establish a branch or subsidiary in the UK and operate the same business with the parent company; No other sole representative in the UK Successful applicant will be granted for an initial visa of 3 years. If the applicant works for the same employer during the three year period, the parent company continues to trade and the UK branch can carry out business activities as planed, further two years visa will be granted to the applicant.

The applicant and family can apply settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain, ILR) after five years of residence in the UK. The applicant must meet the requirements of residence and pass the English language test, and the business is up and running.

The applicant can free register with GP and get treatment in hospital. Children can attend public

2021年6月30日

20時政 ECN欧洲商报

EE to reintroduce Europe roaming charges in January Those joining or upgrading from 7 July 2021 will be charged £2 a day to use their allowances in 47 European destinations from January 2022 EE, which is part of BT Group, previously said it had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges in Europe.

It is the first UK operator to reintroduce the charges since the EU trade deal was signed in December.

despite Brexit giving them the option to do so.

EE said on Thursday that introducing the charges would "support investment into our UK based customer service and leading UK network".

However, it will not charge UK customers extra to use their phones in the Republic of Ireland.

Customers travelling to the 47 affected countries will be able to buy 30-day passes to use their home tariff abroad. The cost of those will depend on which tariff customers are on.

Since 2017, mobile networks in EU countries have not been allowed to charge customers extra to use their phones in other EU countries.

There are some "fair use" limits, for example, you cannot get a mobile phone contract from Romania and then use it all year round in Italy.

In January 2021, EE, O2, Three and Vodafone all stated they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges,

On Wednesday, it was reported that O2 was going to reintroduce roaming charges.

However, it is merely adding a "fair use" data cap of 25GB a month and will not charge customers more to use their phones in the EU. Fair use limits are normal and were allowed when the UK was still part of the EU. From next month, Three will be reducing its fair use limit from 20GB a month to 12GB. The UK's trade deal with the EU says that both sides will encourage operators to have "transparent and reasonable rates" for roaming, but it did not ban charges.

The government's guidelines encouraged people traveling in Europe to check with their mobile operators to find out about any roaming charges.

2021年6月30日

21 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Canada Goose to end the use of all fur on coats 疫苗。

Canada Goose, the maker of luxurypriced winter coats, has announced it will no longer use animal fur on its clothing.

The firm said it will cease buying fur by the end of this year and stop using it on its products by the end of 2022.

The Humane Society, said the decision was a "momentous step in the demise of cruel fur fashion".

Canada Goose has long been criticised by campaigners for using coyote fur on its parkas.

Claire Bass, executive director of the Humane

Society, said: "For years, Canada Goose's trademark parka jackets with coyote fur trim have been synonymous with fur cruelty but their announcement today is another major blow to the global fur trade."

The move is part of Canada Goose's strategy to become more environmentally conscious and extend the use of sustainable materials as well as low carbon methods of making its coats.

A number of luxury fashion brands have stopped using fur in their clothing in recent years. Nordstrom, the upmarket US department store, said it would stop selling products made with fur or exotic animal skin by the end of this year.

Under its then new chief creative officer, Riccardo Tisci, Burberry announced back in 2018 it would stop using rabbit, fox, mink and raccoon fur in its collections. Italy's Prada also committed to end the use of fur.

Ms Bass said fur was a "dying industry on its knees from the punches of so many top designers and retailers walking away from the PRnightmare of fur".

"Canada Goose's fur-free policy will spare untold thousands of coyotes from being maimed and killed in cruel metal leg-hold traps," she said.

Citi bank boss says staff work better in the office The UK boss of banking giant Citigroup has said its "business works best from being together" as the firm plans for staff to work from the office for three days a week.

James Bardrick said workers needed to be together "to get the best out of yourself and for the team". His comments come as other firms such as Goldman Sachs

plan to get all staff back in the office after 19 July. Some firms are also instructing staff to register their vaccine status.

Mr Bardrick, Citi's country officer for the UK, said after restrictions were eased, the "vast majority" of staff would work from the office three days a week and have two days a week elsewhere.

2021年6月30日

22 時政 ECN欧洲商报 However, Mr Bardrick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We strongly believe that our business works best from being together.

"We think that we are better together. We think we succeed for our clients and for our organisation together.

"So what we are saying is that, yes, use greater flexibility, but to do your job well, to develop as an employee, to get the best out of yourself and for the team, we need to be together."

Mr Bardrick said the bank was not copying JP

Morgan's policy on vaccination status, but added anyone entering a company building had to "demonstrate that they have got a negative test result".

JP Morgan, the biggest bank in the US, has instructed its US staff to register their vaccine status on an internal web portal, with its boss Jamie Dimon previously saying he wanted staff back in the office from July.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs told the BBC it was mandatory for US staff to share their vaccine status but voluntary for UK workers.

NatWest has said just over a third of its 59,300 fulltime employees in the UK would continue to work remotely. Some 55% of its staff would adopt a hybrid model of working, splitting their time between the office and home. image captionSome banks are telling staff they can work from home on some days Morgan Stanley has barred staff and clients from entering its New York offices if they are not fully vaccinated.

vaccine status on an internal web portal, with its boss Jamie Dimon previously saying he wanted staff back in the office from July.

An internal memo, first reported by the Financial Times, said: "Starting July 12 all employees, contingent workforce, clients and visitors will be required to attest to being fully vaccinated to access Morgan Stanley buildings in New York City and Westchester."

A person familiar with the policy told the BBC: "Operating within a fully vaccinated environment allows us to lift restrictions like the use of face coverings and the need to maintain physical distancing, returning to more normal office conditions."

Belfast software firm Neueda bought by Dublin company Version 1 Neueda, the Belfast software company, has been bought by Dublin-based Version 1.

Version 1 already has a substantial presence in Belfast and is currently recruiting about 200 people.

Neueda has customers across the public and private sectors with particular experience in financial services, and has been growing rapidly.

The company saw its revenues rise by 38% to £32m in 2020.

2021年6月30日

23 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Neueda employs about 300 people while Version 1's Belfast operation has 200 staff.

The combined business will have almost 2,000 employees across its global operations and forecasts revenue of €200m (£170m) in the next year.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Neueda was founded by Brendan Monaghan and David Bole in 2006 with Mr

Monaghan as majority shareholder.

Version 1 chief executive Tom O'Connor said the deal brings a "highly-skilled and specialised technology team" into the business.

The Neueda executive management team, including Chief Executive Paddy O'Hagan, will join the Version 1 team.

Millions become millionaires during Covid pandemic More than five million people became millionaires across the world in 2020 despite economic damage from the Covid-19 pandemic.

While many poor people became poorer, the number of millionaires increased by 5.2 million to 56.1 million globally, Credit Suisse research found.

In 2020, more than 1% of adults worldwide were millionaires for the first time. Recovering stock markets and soaring house prices helped boost their wealth.

Wealth creation appeared to be "completely detached" from the economic woes of the pandemic, the researchers said.

Lower interest rates and government support programmes had led to "a huge transfer" of wealth from the public sector to the household sector, they added.

This had prompted a surge in household saving, which had "inflated household financial assets and caused household debts to be lower than they would be otherwise".

The number of ultra-high net worth individuals, usually defined as those having investable assets of more than $30m, grew by 24% worldwide in 2020, the fastest rate of increase since 2003.

Credit Suisse said its total of the number of millionaires might be higher than other organisations' estimates because it included both investable and non-investable assets, such as owner-occupied homes.

Anthony Shorrocks, economist and author of the Global Wealth Report, said the pandemic had an "acute short-term impact on global markets", but added this was "largely reversed by the end of June 2020".

2021年6月30日

24時政 ECN欧洲商报 "Global wealth not only held steady in the face of such turmoil, but in fact rapidly increased in the second half of the year," he said.

However, wealth differences between adults widened in 2020, and Mr Shorrocks said if asset price increases, such as house price rises, were removed from the analysis, "then global household wealth may well have fallen".

"In the lower wealth bands where financial assets are less prevalent, wealth has tended to stand still, or, in many cases, regressed," he said.

"Some of the underlying factors may self correct over time. For example, interest rates will begin to rise againat some point, and this will dampen asset prices."Total global wealth grew by 7.4%, the report said. Since the start of the 21st Century

, the number of people with wealth between $10,000 and $100,000 had more than tripled in size from 507 million in 2000 to 1.7 billion in mid2020.

They said the increase reflected the "growing prosperity of emerging economies, especially China, and the expansion of the middle class in the developing world". Nannette HechlerFayd'herbe, chief investment officer at Credit Suisse, said: "There is no denying actions taken by governments and central banks to organise massive income transfer programmes to support the individuals and businesses most adversely affected by the pandemic, and by lowering interest rates, havesuccessfully averted a full scale global crisis."She added: "The lowering of interest rates by central banks has probably had the greatest impact.

"It is a major reason why share prices and house prices have flourished, and these translate directly into our valuations of household wealth."

But she added that these interventions "have come at a great cost".

"Public debt relative to GDP has risen throughout the world by 20 percentage points or more in many countries.

"Generous payments from the public sector to households have meant that disposable household income has been relatively stable and has even risen in some countries."

Ms Hechler-Fayd'herbe said a "major reason" why share prices and house prices had "flourished" was due to the lowering of interest rates by banks, which, she added, translated "directly into our valuations of household wealth".

25 時政 ECN欧洲商报

2021年6月30日

Influential investor joins shareholderrebellion over Shell’s climate plan Britain’s biggest fund manager has piled pressure on Shell after joining a shareholder rebellion over the oil company’s carbon-cutting plans, saying that they lack credibility and the ambition required to combat global heating.

It has emerged that Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), one of the oldest fund managers in the City of London, was among investors behind a significant shareholder vote against Shell’s climate transition targets at the company’s annual meeting on Tuesday. The asset manager, which is part of the insurer Legal & General and manages more than £1.2tn of assets, told the Guardian that it joined activists

demanding faster progress because it did not believe the Anglo-Dutch company’s plan was credible.

Although acknowledging progress was being made by the company’s management to boost low-carbon investment, LGIM said: “We remain concerned that the strength of interim targets (up to 2035) and disclosed plans for oil and gas production fall short of the level of ambition required for the company to credibly claim alignment with a 1.5C pathway.”

At the meeting, a shareholder resolution calling for Shell to do much more to tackle the climateemergency by setting binding carbon emissions reduction targets received 30% of votes. LGIM was among voters in favour.

The result represents an escalation of the pressure on Shell and means the company will be forced to consult shareholders and report on their views within six months.

The resolution was put forward by Follow This, a campaign group that uses activist investment to put pressure on oil companies into decarbonising in line with the limits set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

Shell put forward a vote on its own “energy transition strategy” to reduce carbon emissions. The resolution passed, with 88% of votes cast in favour. However, despite expressing some reservations over both votes, LGIM turned against the management strategy in favour of Follow This. Mark van Baal, the founder of Follow This, said: “This is really a very strong signal to the board of Shell that their current targets are not sufficient to reach the [aims of the] Paris climate agreement. That is what investors one by one are realising.”

LGIM has been increasingly vocal about the climate crisis: last October it announced it was expanding its engagement activities in this area and would “systematically hold companies accountable through voting and investment sanctions”. In March, its chief executive, Michelle Scrimgeour, said the coronavirus pandemic had “underscored the importance of tackling looming threats – like that of a climate catastrophe – before it is too late”.

Some of the group’s largest funds held by UK investors and pension plan customers include Shell among their biggest holdings.

Under the Paris agreement, almost 200 countries agreed to limit global temperature increases to well below 2C, with an aspiration not to breach 1.5C above preindustrial levels.

2021年6月30日

26 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Government approach to business 'chaotic' and 'incoherent', says Heseltine Former Conservative industry secretary Lord Heseltine has described the government's approach to engaging with business as chaotic and incoherent.

Lord Heseltine famously once said he would intervene in business and markets "before breakfast, lunch and dinner" if necessary, but takes a dim view of government strategy now.

"Under the present government it's all got chaotic," he said.

"One minute you have got an industrial strategy, the next minute you haven't."

"New committees are set up then disbanded," he added.

"I think they are throwing money indiscriminately at a whole range of projects with very little attempt to co-ordinate the results, and very little attempt to mobilise local strengths, and very little attempt to analyse the competitive challenges we face."

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (Beis) responded that its "Plan for Growth" recognises that a "strong and active government within a dynamic enterprise economy is central to our success".

"Through major public investment in infrastructure, skills and innovation, we're going even further to support the creation of new industries and good-quality jobs, levelling-up every part of the UK," the spokesman said.

But what is the appropriate relationship between government and business?

I recently went to meet the Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng at Airbus's Filton site near Bristol.

Airbus is a good example of government involvement in business. A panEuropean government-driven and part-funded mission to take on American aviation giants.

The UK's arms-length stake was sold off long ago, and recently Airbus was a fierce critic of Brexit, but it was all smiles as Mr Kwarteng officially launched a new £40m wing-technology centre, to which the government contributed £20m.

"It's a very close partnership," said Mr Kwarteng. "During Brexit Airbus had one view, the government had another view, but today what's striking is that we are completely united.

"Airbus is a first rate company and they are very keen to engage with government collaboratively."

In the past the Conservative Party orthodoxy seemed to be to set taxes as low as possible, regulation as light as sensible, and let the so-called "wealth creators" get on with it.

So what has happened to the DNA of the Conservative government?

"I think we are always a free market party," Mr Kwarteng said.

"But in 2021 we realise there are a whole range of industries that have a strategic relevance to the UK and we are very, very happy to work with the private sector to drive innovation

But shadow business secretary Ed Miliband is not convinced the Conservative Party truly believes in a muscular role for the government in business.

"I think the problem with this government is that, first of all, we know that they have recently torn up the idea of having an industrial strategy, a white paper, and abolished the industrial strategy council," he said.

"Now that tells you something about them, which is basically they believe, more or less, that the market is going to serve us well, mainly on its own. So they pay lip service to the idea of the public sector playing a muscular role alongside the private sector.

"But it's not happening in practice. And that is deeply regrettable, because we face such massive challenges as a country, whether it's the climate crisis, or the inequality crisis, or recovering from Covid.

"The only way we succeed is with public working with private to create the wealth and tackle those challenges."

2021年6月30日

27 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Morrisons' share price soars 28% on takeover offer

Morrisons is the closeness of its relationship with Amazon," he told the BBC's Today programme.

Morrisons has had a relationship with Amazon since 2016, under which the supermarket sells fresh produce and food through Amazon's website.

Mr McDonald said: "Amazon hasn't, so far, really become a force to be reckoned with in food but it would like to be. You wonder whether thissituation might flush out interest from them.“

Management, which is a top 10 shareholder in Morrisons, criticised the private equity firm's approach.

Andrew Koch, L&G senior fund manager, told the Financial Times that the retail sector in general "looks undervalued", adding: "Private equity look to be interested in Morrisons partly because it has a lot of freehold property which they would 'sale and leaseback' to generate cash to pay back to themselves."

Morrisons owns the freehold on around 85% of its properties including its supermarkets.Mr Koch said: "That's not adding any genuine value, and the company could do that themselves. So I would personally not expect a bid to succeed at that level."

A successful bid by CD&R for Morrisons would mark the second time this year that a private equity firm has been involved in the takeover of a UK supermarket.

Earlier this year, TDR Capital and the Blackburnbased Issa brothers bought a majority stake inAsda from US parent Walmart, valuing the supermarket at £6.8bn.

However, Seema Malhotra, Labour's shadow minister for business, expressed caution about what a potential takeover of Morrisons could mean for the workforce.

Amazon owns the US supermarket chain Whole Foods, which also has seven outlets in the London.

118,000 people.

George McDonald, executive editor of the publication Retail Week, said CD&R's proposal "could flush out more bidders".

He pointed to private equity firms Apollo Global Management and Lone Star Funds, which had been interested in buying Asda.

"But one of the interesting things about Morrisons is the closeness of its relationship with

"Our supermarkets... need owners that put the long-term interests of the business and its employees first," she said.

"When Debenhams went bust we saw private equity firms walk away while employees lost their jobs and staff who have paid into the pension scheme were left out of pocket. Too often dodgy private equity firms load the companies with debt and leave while pocketing the dividends.

This has to end."

Financial Times that the retail sector in general "looks undervalued", adding: "Private equity look to be interested in Morrisons partly because it has a lot of freehold property which

Amazon," he told the BBC's Today programme. which had been interested in buying Asda.

"But one of the interesting things about Morrisons' share price has surged by 28% after a US private equity firm made an offer to buy the supermarket group for £5.5bn.

The shares closed at 228p on Monday, just below the 230p-a-share proposed by Clayton Dubilier & Rice.

Morrisons' board has rejected the offer, saying it "significantly undervalued" the business "and its future prospects".

they would 'sale and leaseback' to generate cash to pay back to themselves."

Morrisons owns the freehold on around 85% of its properties including its supermarkets.Mr Koch said: "That's not adding any genuine value, and the company could do that themselves. So I would personally not expect a bid to succeed at that level."

A successful bid by CD&R for Morrisons would mark the second time this year that a private equity firm has been involved in the takeover of a UK supermarket.

Earlier this year, TDR Capital and the Blackburn-based Issa brothers bought a majority stake inAsda from US parent Walmart,

However, there is speculation the move may prompt others to bid for the group.

Morrisons - the UK's fourth-largest supermarket chain - has nearly 500 shops and employs about Under UK takeover rules, CD&R has until 17 July to announce a firm intention to bid or walk away. Its initial proposal offers 230p per share for Morrisons. In addition to the cash offer, CD&R would take on Morrisons' £3.2bn of debt, taking the total value of any deal to almost £9bn.

However, Legal and General Investment

valuing the supermarket at £6.8bn.

However, Seema Malhotra, Labour's shadow minister for business, expressed caution about what a potential takeover of Morrisons could mean for the workforce.

"Our supermarkets... need owners that put the long-term interests of the business and its employees first," she said.

"When Debenhams went bust we saw private equity firms walk away while employees lost their jobs and staff who have paid into the pension scheme were left out of pocket. Too often dodgy private equity firms load the companies with debt and leave while pocketing the dividends.

This has to end."

2021年6月30日

28 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Bank of England rejects interest rate rise despite inflation worries The Bank of England has left interest rates on hold at a historic low despite concerns that inflation will accelerate this year as the economic recovery gathers pace.

Policymakers on Threadneedle Street’s monetary policy committee (MPC) said rates should remain at 0.1% until it was clear how quickly the economy would recover and how much pressure there will be on firms to raise prices.

The central bank also said it would keep its programme of electronic money printing, known as quantitative easing, in place to keep the recovery on track through the autumn.

Chief economist Andy Haldane was the only member of the MPC to vote to taper the QE programme before it reached £895bn, in line with his vote at the MPC’s last meeting in May. In May, the bank’s policymakers raised their estimate for UK GDP growth to 7.25% in 2021, up from a previous forecast in February of 5%.

The MPC said the rapid progress with the Covid-19 vaccine and easing of restrictions paved the way for a surge in spending as consumers began to visit previously closed restaurants, cafes and leisure facilities.

Inflation has increased in recent months, with official figures estimating that it reached 2.1% in May, slightly above the Bank’s 2% target level.

The central bank and most City economists had estimated that inflation would peak at around 3% this year before falling bank in 2022 to about 2%, though some analysts have warned it could reach 4%.

In 2011 the UK’s inflation rate hit 5.2% as the economy recovered from the 2008 banking crash, before falling back in subsequent years.

Deliveroo riders suffer setback in court battle for right to unionise Attempts by some Deliveroo riders to secure legal status as employees has suffered a setback after the court of appeal upheld previous verdicts that found the food delivery couriers were self-employed.

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has been fighting through the courts since 2017 to have Deliveroo riders classified as “workers”, with the right to unionise and bargain collectively for better terms and conditions.

The court of appeal endorsed previous verdicts determining that Deliveroo riders should be deemed self-employed, without the right to organise via a trade union. The ruling hinged on riders’ right to arrange a substitute to perform their duties if they did not want to or were unable to.

Lord Justice Underhill, one of the three judges who heard the appeal, conceded that the verdict might be seen as “counterintuitive”, in that gig economy workers may have particular need of unionising for better pay and conditions.

But he said that while they had the right to organise, they did not have the right to do so via a trade union. He said this was because they do not fall under the definition of employees under article 11 of the European convention on human rights, which governs rules on freedom of assembly, including unionisation.

A supreme court ruling in February, which found Uber drivers should have workers’ rights, had no bearing on Deliveroo riders’ application, the judge said, because that case did not hinge on the interpretation of article 11.

2021年6月30日

29 時政 ECN欧洲商报 The three judges in the Deliveroo case, who dismissed the IWGB’s appeal unanimously, refused the union the right to appeal to the supreme court.

“Today is good news for Deliveroo riders and marks an important milestone,” said a spokesperson for the company, whose stock market float earlier this year was widely seen as a flop, partly due to investor concerns over riders’ employment status. Deliveroo shares rose nearly 7% on Thursday.

“UK courts have now tested and upheld the self-employed status of Deliveroo riders four times.

“Our message to riders is clear. We will continue to back your right to work the way you want and we will continue to listen to you and respond to the things that matter to you most.

“Deliveroo’s model offers the genuine flexibility that is only compatible with self-employment, providing riders with the work they tell us they value. Those campaigning to remove riders’ flexibility do not speak for the vast majority of riders and seek to impose a way of working that riders do not want. Deliveroo will continue to campaign for companies like ours to be able to offer the full flexibility of self-employment along with greater benefits and more security.”

The Guardian has approached the IWGB for comment.

Top insurers join Prince Charles to fight climate crisis

Chief executives from the UK’s largest insurers have joined forces with the Prince of Wales to launch a sector-wide taskforce aimed at tackling the climate crisis.

The Sustainable Market Initiative Insurance Taskforce – comprising bosses from 17 firms including Legal & General, Allianz, Hiscox and Axa – has pledged to support the transition to a less carbon-intensive economy by expanding insurance coverage for projects such as offshore windfarms, and partnering with governments to provide better disaster protection cover in countries facing serious risks like extreme weather caused by global heating.

“Climate change is already having an impact – you see this in wildfires in California and you see it in persistent droughts in Australia,” Bruce Carnegie-Brown, the chairman of insurance market Lloyd’s of London, which is chairing the taskforce, said.

“So there is now increasing demand by customers for these kinds of protections and we need to respond to them.”

He said a number of individual companies had started offeringmore climate-friendly insurance policies, but had failed to coordinate across the sector. “What the prince is really doing is helping us convene and galvanise

a whole of industry response,” he added. “Instead of people going off and doing their own thing they’re actually bringing some of their intellectual property, and some of their capability reporting on some of their existing findings and research, on what is having the most impact.”

The launch of the taskforce was marked by a visit by Charles to Lloyd’s of London’s underwriting room in the Grade I-listed building at One Lime Street, where the group gathered for their second meeting on Thursday.

The group, which the prince first brought together in February, is pushing ahead with plans to expand insurance coverage for hydrogen and nuclear power, and adding clauses to home insurance policies that will encourage customers who lose their home to fire or flood to rebuild with more sustainable materials.

Carnegie-Brown warned that if the insurance industry did not act quickly, it would be forced to take more drastic action to help meet global targets for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. That could mean pulling cover for carbon-intensive companies that fail to transition to more sustainable business models.

US and European insurers – which are the second largest group of institutional investors after pension funds with approximately $30tn (£21.5tn) in assets – have invested close to $600bn in fossil fuels, according to the Unfriend Coal campaign.

“As an industry we need to support our customers doing that [transition] but we will also need to make tough decisions if we don’t think our customers can transition,” the Lloyd’s chairman said. Lloyd’s of London has already pledged to stop new insurance cover for coal, oil sands and Arctic energy projects by January 2022, and to pull out of the business altogether by 2030.

“We’re just one industry among many, but we all need to play our part to protect the planet for what I think is an extraordinary systemic risk,” Carnegie-Brown said.

2021年6月30日

30 時政 ECN欧洲商报

Oil and gas donors gave over £400k to Tories before North Sea decision Individuals and companies linked to the oil and gas industries have donated more than £400,000 to the Conservative party in the past year, while the government mulled controversial new licences to explore the North Sea for fossil fuel production sites, it can be revealed.

Disclosures from last July to the end of March, the latest date for which data is available, show at least £419,000 was given to the Conservatives by donors with a strong interest in oil and gas, including in the North Sea, research by the environmental investigations group DeSmog and the Guardian has found.

The donations include: a total of £25,000 from Amjad Bseisu, the chief executive of EnQuest, an oil and gas company with strong interests in the North Sea, who has given more than £400,000 to the party since 2013; £200,000 from Balmoral Group Holdings, an oil and gas technology and services specialist; £155,000 from Alasdair Locke, the non-executive chairman of Well-Safe Solutions, which decommissions oil and gas sites; nearly £20,000 from Richard Upshall, the founder of OES Asset Integrity Management; and £25,000 from Centrax, a gas turbine company.

The donations came as the

government deliberated the future development of the UK’s lucrative oil and gas fields in the North Sea. A review was formally opened last September and then on 24 March came the announcement of a new round of licensing for oil and gas wells, with up to £16bn in joint investment between the government and private sector, despite the likely negative impact of such development on the UK’s climate targets.

The UK is to host a vital UN summit, Cop26, in Glasgow this November, at which all countries will be asked to come up with stringent targets on cutting

greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade, and to make an urgent transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and low-carbon economies. Cop26 is widely regarded as one of the last chances to put the world on track to meet the 2015 Paris climate agreement, in a “make-or-break” decade for the climate.

The decision by ministers to pursue a new round of North Sea licences caused serious concernamong senior figures in the climate talks. Other countries, including Denmark and France, are halting investment in new fossil fuel production.

The decision also came just ahead of the publication of analysis commissioned by the UK, as part of its Cop26 role, from the International Energy Agency that showed all newdevelopment of fossil fuels must cease after this year if the world is to limit global heating to 1.5C, in line with scientific advice.

The Guardian understands that the companies making donations, or whose senior personnel were listed as donors, made no direct representations to the government over the award of oil and gas licences, and that ministers have held no meetings with the companies in the past year.

Locke told the Guardian that Well-Safe Solutions, as an expert in decommissioning old sites, was involved in the clean-up of the North Sea industry rather than its expansion. He added his donations were to the Scottish Conservative party, which he backed in the hope of preserving the union.

“We are not doing exploring, we are part of the energy transition,” he said. “I am very keen that Scotland remains part of the UK, I do not think it would be good for Scotland not to be part of the UK, and the Scottish Conservative party are the strongest unionist party.”

A spokesperson for Balmoral Group said most of its work was overseas: “[About] 90% of our products are exported to deepwater fields around the world – South America, west Africa, far east etc [with] minimal business done in the North Sea.” The other companies and the Conservative party did not respond to requests for comment. gas licensing ahead of announcing our landmark North Sea transition deal, which sets out plans to back the oil and gas industry to transform while supporting tens of thousands of jobs.” “BEIS held two roundtables with environmental groups on oil and

The government has said the oil and gas licences should only be awarded if they “are aligned with the government’s broad climate change ambitions, including the UK’s target of reaching net zero [carbon emissions] by 2050”. A “checkpoint” of criteria that will determine whether new exploration proposals can operate within these climate targets has been promised by the end of this year.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said: “The UK is working hard to drive down demand for fossil fuels and eliminate our contribution to climate change, but we also know there will continue to be ongoing demand for oil and gas, as recognised by the independent Climate Change Committee.

2021年6月30日

31時政 ECN欧洲商报

UK property developer St Modwen accepts new offer from US private equity group

Property developer St Modwen has accepted an increased offer from US investor Blackstone that values the company at £1.3bn, in the latest example of a private equity swoop for a mid-sized British firm. St Modwen has agreed to a price of 560p per share in a final offer from Blackstone’s vehicle. The bid was 25% above the share price of 448p per share on the day before New York-based Blackstone’s interest was first revealed in early May. Shares rose 0.5% on Thursday morning to 554p. Private equity investors from outside the UK were already

sitting on big piles of cash before the pandemic, and have pandemic, and have since pounced on British companies, which are seen as undervalued, in part because of uncertainty over whether a Brexit trade deal with the EU would be agreed. Other British companies targeted by US investors include the supermarket chain Morrisons, aerospace manufacturer Senior, and infrastructure investor John Laing.

Foreign private equity investors have invested more so far in 2021 than according to Dealogic, a data company.

St Modwen, a member of the FTSE 250 index of mid-sized companies,

struggled during the coronavirus pandemic, losing £120m during the year to the end of November after writing down the value of residential land and retail assets as lockdowns began.

The company was already reducing its exposure to physical retail sites and office buildings, as well as landregeneration projects such as the old MG Rover factory at Longbridge in the West Midlands. It is instead focusing on two areas that have benefited from pandemic trends: the boom in online deliveries and in house prices. Investments in warehouses have jumped in value. About

£1.37bn in logistics assets accounted for 49% of the value of its portfolio at the end of 2020, a big increase from the 40% in 2019. In the housing sector St Modwen is targeting 25% growth for 2021.

St Modwen shareholders successfully argued that Blackstone’s initial bid of 542p per share was too low, being only slightly above the company’s pre-pandemic high valuation of 530p per share. Shares fell to almost 300p per share in 2020.

Blackstone said the terms of the latest offer were final, but that it reserved the right to make a higher bid if another potential buyer stepped into the frame.

2021年6月30日 JUNE 縂第227期ISSUE257

2021年5月30日

22 時政 ECN欧洲商报

UK property developer St Modwen accepts new offer from US private equity group

Property developer St Modwen has accepted an increased offer from US investor Blackstone that values the company at £1.3bn, in the latest example of a private equity swoop for a mid-sized British firm. St Modwen has agreed to a price of 560p per share in a final offer from Blackstone’s vehicle. The bid was 25% above the share price of 448p per share on the day before New York-based Blackstone’s interest was first revealed in early May. Shares rose 0.5% on Thursday morning to 554p. Private equity investors from outside the UK were already

sitting on big piles of cash before the pandemic, and have pandemic, and have since pounced on British companies, which are seen as undervalued, in part because of uncertainty over whether a Brexit trade deal with the EU would be agreed. Other British companies targeted by US investors include the supermarket chain Morrisons, aerospace manufacturer Senior, and infrastructure investor John Laing.

Foreign private equity investors have invested more so far in 2021 than according to Dealogic, a data company.

St Modwen, a member of the FTSE 250 index of mid-sized companies,

struggled during the coronavirus pandemic, losing £120m during the year to the end of November after writing down the value of residential land and retail assets as lockdowns began.

The company was already reducing its exposure to physical retail sites and office buildings, as well as landregeneration projects such as the old MG Rover factory at Longbridge in the West Midlands. It is instead focusing on two areas that have benefited from pandemic trends: the boom in online deliveries and in house prices. Investments in warehouses have jumped in value. About

£1.37bn in logistics assets accounted for 49% of the value of its portfolio at the end of 2020, a big increase from the 40% in 2019. In the housing sector St Modwen is targeting 25% growth for 2021.

St Modwen shareholders successfully argued that Blackstone’s initial bid of 542p per share was too low, being only slightly above the company’s pre-pandemic high valuation of 530p per share. Shares fell to almost 300p per share in 2020.

Blackstone said the terms of the latest offer were final, but that it reserved the right to make a higher bid if another potential buyer stepped into the frame.