The European Commission designed a package of measures to contain spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and to counter its socio-economic effects in the European Union.
All member-states will receive assistance for health systems, including procurement of supplies and support to hospitals for their unhindered work. Also, funding will be made available for accelerated development of a vaccine.
The first priority is to save human lives, the second to save jobs, and then companies and the economy. To alleviate effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Union’s budget has secured financial assistance in the amount of 37 billion euros.
The package of measures proposed by the European Commission includes:
- procurement of necessary materials and equipment for the health systems, while protecting integrity of the single market, as well as production and distribution chains;
- support for people to avoid inequitable impact on income and jobs and permanent consequences of the crisis;
- support to companies and ensuring the financial market’s liquidity in order to continue to support the economy;
- ensuring decisive and coordinated action on the part of EU member-states, including facilitating state aid rules and support measures.
Also, the European Commission formed a Coronavirus Response Team, headed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and coordinated by eight members:
- Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President, Europe Fit for the Digital Age;
- Valldis Dambrovskis, Executive Vice President, Economy that Works for People;
- Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner, Macroeconomic Aspects;
- Tierry Breton, Commissioner, Internal Market;
- Stella Kyriakides, Commission, Health;
- Ylva Johansson, Commissioner, Border Issues
- Janez Lenarcic, Commissioner, Crisis Management;
- Adina Valean, Commission, Mobility.
More information on activities taken by the European Commission to combat the COVID-19 outbreak is available on this link.