April 3, 2020
• NATO statement 3 April 2020 : NATO Foreign Ministers agree measures to help Coronavirus response.
• EU Solidarity Fund: application guidelines for Covid-19 assistance : In order to offer full support to the EU countries in preparing their applications for assistance from the EU Solidarity Fund in dealing with the coronavirus emergency, the European Commission has published specific guidelines.
• IPA, WHO and UNICEF launch Read the World on International Children’s Book Day to support children and young people in isolation : Geronimo Stilton author to kickstart exclusive children’s book reading initiative amid COVID-19 pandemic
• COVID-19, European Coordinated Response to the pandemic – by the European Commission
April 2, 2020 update
• European Parliament to hold extraordinary plenary on 16 and 17 April 2020 – The EP’s President and political group leaders decided to hold an extraordinary plenary to continue with parliamentary work on the special measures to fight the pandemic.
• Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus – The European Commission proposed a new set of measures to mobilise support against COVID19 – Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus (CRII+).
• Questions and answers on the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus – New actions to mobilise essential investments and resources.
• Specific measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in the fishery and aquaculture sector – The European Commission published a legislative proposal to introduce specific measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in the fishery and aquaculture sector.
• EIB Group’s response to the pandemic – The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has proposed a plan to mobilise up to €40 billion of financing. This will go towards bridging loans, credit holidays and other measures designed to alleviate liquidity and working capital constraints for SMEs and mid-caps.
• To protect lives and livelihoods – The European Commission is further increasing its response by proposing to set up a €100 billion solidarity instrument to help workers keep their incomes and help businesses stay afloat, called SURE.
• Amnesty International statement – Europe at a crossroads: DOs and DON’Ts for authorities when responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
• EP DEVE Committee: MEPs call for solidarity with developing countries in combatting the coronavirus – The African, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States and the European Union (ACP-EU) must work in solidarity to tackle the health and socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
• ECB statement – The European Central Bank extends review of its monetary policy strategy until mid-2021.
• EP: Fact-checking Day: Fighting the virus of disinformation on Covid-19 – The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to fake news and disinformation spreading, which hamper efforts to contain the pandemic.
• Throwing coronavirus disinfo at the wall to see what sticks – The EUvsDisinfo database has been accumulating coronavirus-related disinformation cases for more than two months – it’s time to take a look and see what’s hiding in plain sight.
• EPRS briefing – Protecting the EU agri-food supply chain in the face of COVID-19.
April 1, 2020 update
• Space in response to COVID-19 outbreak : ESA launches today the announcement of funding “Space in response to COVID-19 outbreak” in collaboration with the Italian Minister for Technological Innovation and Digitalisation and the support of the Italian Space Agency and other countries.
• NATO statement 1 April 2020 : NATO Allies cooperate with private sector and academia, making 3D printing an essential contribution in the fight against COVID 19 pandemic.
• UNICEF statement : COVID-19 pandemic could devastate refugee, migrant and internally displaced populations without urgent international action.
• EMA on chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine : COVID-19: chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine only to be used in clinical trials or emergency use programmes.
• New control material developed by Commission scientists to help prevent coronavirus test failures – JRC scientists have designed new control material that laboratories can use to check the correct functioning of their coronavirus tests and to avoid false negatives.
• COP26 postponement : The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19.
• EFPIA statement – Through EFPIA, the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe published a series of commitments as part of the global fight against COVID-19.
• IMI networks are helping set up and run COVID-19 drug trials – Innovative Medecines Initiative (IMI)’s COMBACTE project is perfectly placed to support the DisCoVery studies of four potential COVID-19 therapies.
• European Council statement following the videoconference between President Charles Michel and Presidents von der Leyen, Lagarde and Centeno – Charles Michel, Ursula von der Leyen, Christine Lagarde and Mario Centeno took stock today of the socio-economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis and discussed the next steps. A coordinated exit strategy, a comprehensive recovery plan and unprecedented investment are required.
• EEAS: Short assessment of narratives and disinformation around the Covid-19 pandemic – Disinformation and misinformation around COVID-19 continue to proliferate around the world, with potentially harmful consequences for public health and effective crisis communication.
March 31, 2020 update
• WTO – FAO – WHO Joint call to keep food trade flowing in response to COVID-19 – The heads of the World Trade Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization call to minimise the impact of COVID-19 related border restrictions on trade in food.
• Temporary measures to contain risks to human, animal and plant health and animal welfare – The European Commission published an implementing regulation on temporary measures to contain risks to human, animal and plant health and animal welfare during certain serious disruptions of Member States’ control systems due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• IOM statement – The Rights and Health of Refugees, Migrants and Stateless Must be Protected in COVID-19 Response.
• EBA statement – The European Banking Authority provides additional clarity on measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the EU banking sector
• WEF: Why COVID-19 makes the case to get rid of passwords – At this time of unprecedented digital dependency, safe and secure access to online services and infrastructure is critical, as we are seeing a rise in cybercriminal activity seeking to exploit this crisis.
• Statement by Commission President von der Leyen on emergency measures in Member States – It is of utmost importance that emergency measures are not at the expense of our fundamental principles and values as set out in the Treaties.
• Close to €240 million to strengthen resilience in neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees in light of the coronavirus pandemic – This support is particularly relevant in the context of the current coronavirus pandemic and will provide additional help for the most vulnerable persons in the region and assist hosting countries to better face public health challenges, amongst others.
• EP PECH Committee statement – EP Fisheries Committee requests urgent procedure to swiftly amend the European Fisheries and Maritime Fund, to better support the sector in “public health crises”.
• EUROFOUND statement – COVID-19 intensifies emotional demands on healthcare workers
• EPRS: The European Council, health policy and pandemics – This note sketches the context, describes some of the instruments available to the Union, and compares responses to the outbreak s of Ebola in the past and COVID-19 today.
• EASA: List of airports located in affected areas with high risk of transmission of the CoViD-19 infection – This list is developed in coordination with EASA Member States and based on the information from WHO, ECDC and other reputable public health institutes.
• Emergency coronavirus research: Commission selects 18th project to develop rapid diagnostics – The European Commission will support 18 projects with a total of €48.5 million from Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme.
• ERC: €450 million for Europe’s long-term frontier research – 185 scientists win European Research Council’s Advanced Grants.
• JRC science to tackle the coronavirus crisis – Five areas where JRC scientists are working to help tackle the emergency and protect people’s health.
• EP: EU research funds to fight the coronavirus – As the world struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic, the EU is supporting efforts to develop vaccines and effective treatments as soon as possible.
• Research seeks to tackle the impact of COVID-19 on young people’s mental health – A new research survey, from the University of Oxford, will track children and young people’s mental health throughout the COVID-19 crisis to identify what advice, support and help can actually protect their mental health.
• Identifying medications that are safe to use in treatment of COVID-19 – A recent study has found that there is no evidence for or against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for patients with COVID-19.
• Comprehensive COVID-19 estimates help countries best prepare – First comprehensive estimates from mainland China of the proportion of people with COVID-19 who required hospitalisation, and latest death rate estimates, both show sharp increases with age.
March 30, 2020 update
• WHO releases guidelines to help countries maintain essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic – To help countries navigate through these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) has updated operational planning guidelines in balancing the demands of responding directly to COVID-19 while maintaining essential health service delivery, and mitigating the risk of system collapse.
• EP Policy Department: EU measures to mitigate the economic, financial and social effects of coronavirus – A state-of-play compilation of information, obtained from public sources, on the measures proposed and taken at the EU or Euro Area level to mitigate the economic and social effects ofCovid19.
• Questions and answers to help increase production of safe medical supplies – The European Commission is making available guidance to assist manufacturers in ramping up production of essential medical equipment and material in three areas: the production of masks and other personal protective equipment, leave-on hand cleaners and hand disinfectants and 3D printing in the context of the coronavirus outbreak.
• Guidance to ensure the free movement of critical workers – The European Commission has issued new practical advice to ensure that mobile workers within the EU, in particular those in critical occupations to fight the coronavirus pandemic, can reach their workplace.
• EU mobilises immediate support for its Western Balkan partners to tackle coronavirus – The European Commission has announced up to €38 million in immediate support for the Western Balkans to tackle the health emergency caused by coronavirus and reallocation of €374 million to help the socio-economic recovery of the region.
• The European Union stands by its Eastern partners – The European Commission stands by Eastern Partner countries and has reallocated €140 million for the most immediate needs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, as part of the global response to the coronavirus outbreak.
• FAO Policy brief – COVID-19 and the risk to food supply chains: How to respond?
• CEPS Monitoring COVID-19 contagion growth in Europe – CEPS presents an econometric model which can be employed to monitor the evolution of the COVID-19 contagion curve.
• UNDP statement – Looming crisis in developing countries threatens to devastate economies and ramp up inequality.
• FAQs on COVID-19, telecoms and network data – Telecom companies are working round the clock so that telecom networks stay up and running and service continuity is ensured.
• How to recognise and tackle Covid-19 myths? – How can you recognise disinformation and how can you help stop it from spreading? What is the EU doing about it?
• Facebook statement – Keeping People Safe and Informed About the Coronavirus
March 29, 2020 update
• European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas’s statement – Holding together at the seams: Europe as the epicentre of solidarity.
March 28, 2020 update
• Statement from Commission President von der Leyen on proposals to fight the economic effects of the coronavirus crisis – The European Commission is working on proposals for the recovery phase within the existing treaties.
Consult older ESMH articles on the European responses to the corona crisis