Brexit negotiations — in person for the first time since March — restart today in Brussels, now with the certainty that the deadline to get a deal won’t be extended. If the two sides are going to succeed before the U.K.’s transition period expires at the end of the year, they have to fundamentally change how they’ve been speaking to each other. A close look at the negotiations thus far revealed scant progress beyond reciting scripts detailing their opening positions. One official said they have done nothing except negotiate an agenda; a second said they hadn’t even managed that; and a third has heard the same conversation about fish for a total of 10 hours

What’s Happening
Travel Bans | EU governments will today seek a deal on extending an incoming travel ban for residents of most non-European countries, including the U.S. But a quick look at the arrivals schedule of European airports suffices to show that the word "ban" is an overstatement.

Virus Update | More than 10 million people have now been confirmed with the coronavirus, which has claimed over half a million lives across the globe this year. This is what a century of disease outbreaks teaches us about a pandemic which keeps gaining in momentum.

Wind of Change | Polish voters denied President Andrzej Duda’s bid for swift re-election, forcing him into a runoff that risks halting a nationalist makeover of the eastern European country. The second-round ballot — which opinion polls suggest is too close to call — will decide whether the EU’s largest former communist country will complete a five-year drive that has put it at odds with the bloc’s values.

French Verdict | Former French Prime Minister François Fillon and his wife expect a verdict today in a trial in which they are accused of getting more than 1 million euros for a fake job she held as a parliamentary aide. The conspiracy row surrounding the case is still quite alive, Gaspard Sebag reports from Paris.

Paper Fight | A power struggle for Spain’s best-selling newspaper is coming to a head, and embattled Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will be watching closely. A more sympathetic stance from the paper of national record could help a premier wrestling with the country’s worst recession and a lot is at stake during an El Pais shareholders meeting today.

In Case You Missed It
Macron's Losses | Emmanuel Macron’s party was defeated in the Paris mayor’s race and Green Party candidates won in several other major cities, turning French local elections into a warning for the president. With Macron under pressure over his crisis response, the results are likely to renew attention on his pledge to “reinvent” himself and lead the post-pandemic recovery ahead of a presidential election in 2022.

Putin Forever | After two decades in power, Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings are at an all-time low as Russia’s economy reels under the impact of the coronavirus and the slump in oil prices.Yet, he's certain to win a referendum this week, which will allow him to extend his presidency, potentially for 16 more years.

Portrait Protester | Arms folded and her lips sardonically askew, Eva makes an unlikely icon for the protest movement that’s shaking Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko ahead of presidential elections. This is how a century-old portrait by the Jewish expressionist painter Chaim Soutine has swirled into the eye of a political storm.

Identity Crisis | Covid-19 is not just a health emergency and an economic disaster for U.K. Conservatives. It’s turned into a crisis of political self-confidence that’s sparked an intense internal debate over the direction of Britain’s oldest and most successful party. Here's why.

Swedish Controversy | After three months of non-stop controversy, Sweden’s top epidemiologist is about to go on vacation. Despite one of the world’s highest Covid-19 mortality rates, Anders Tegnell still insists Sweden’s strategy remains widely misunderstood. These are his arguments. 

Chart of the Day

Euro-area inflation could dip below zero in coming months, according to ECB Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel. In a vehement defense of the institution’s monetary stimulus, Schnabel warned that weak price dynamics could otherwise become entrenched, endangering the entire currency union.

Today’s Agenda
All times CET.

2 p.m. EU Justice Commissioner Reynders speaks at European Parliament on the rule of law
2 p.m. Irish Central Bank Governor Makhlouf speaks at Bruegel webinar on the need for market-based finance after Covid-19
4 p.m. German Chancellor Merkel hosts French President Macron to discuss stimulus package, Germany's EU presidency
First face-to-face Brexit meetings since March, in a restricted format in Brussels
Euro working group meets in Brussels to prepare for next Eurogroup, when a new president will be selected
European Parliament hearing with candidate (Francois-Louis Michaud) for executive director of the European Banking Authority
U.S Deputy Secretary of State Biegun speaks at the Brussels Forum
Macron due to make a statement about environmental policy