(English version) Question for written answer E-001407/20 to the Commission Antonio Tajani (PPE), (PPE) (7 March 2020)

Subject: Coronavirus and EU counter-measures: action in the interest of EU citizens

The number of Europeans infected with Coronavirus has grown exponentially: it now concerns every Member State, and experts predict that the infection will not come to an end any time soon.

The Commission has set up a crisis unit consisting of five Commissioners. Contacts are also being stepped up between health ministers. However, we need to redouble our efforts and strengthen EU coordination to defend citizens’ health.

How does the Commission intend to ensure the timely operation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism and the Health Security Committee?

Will the Commission set up a forum for scientific and technical discussions, with a view to coordination, to provide a set of common guidelines on clinical and diagnostic aspects, including by promoting the centralised procurement of equipment and materials and their rapid joint distribution, starting with the areas that have greater needs?

What tools will the Commission use to provide financial support for the exchange of information and research into antiviral medicines for the treatment of the disease, in addition to vaccines for prevention?

Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the (9 July 2020)

The Commission is working on all fronts to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. The priority is to guarantee the health and safety of everyone: protecting people from the virus, supporting health systems and health workers, maintaining the flow of goods (1) and mitigating the effects on the economy (2).

Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the Commission has coordinated the delivery of personal protective equipment, the repatriation of EU citizens (3) and co-financed the dispatch of equipment to Spain, and as well as medical teams to Italy (4).

The Health Security Committee meets regularly to coordinate the EU response (5). Decisions are guided by scientific evidence. An advisory panel of specialists (6) is working with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Medicine Agency to guide the Commission.

They have issued a number of guidelines. The Commission is also funding research on potential COVID-19 vaccine and treatments (7) (8). The first ‘ERAvsCorona action plan’ has been published (9) and a European COVID-19 data platform to enable the rapid collection and sharing of research data has been launched (10).

The Commission has been in contact with the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry to ensure that medicines, equipment and testing kits are available to those who need them. Together with Member States, it launched joint procurements for medical and protective equipment and created the first ever rescEU stockpile (11).

The new Emergency Support Instrument complements rescEU and national efforts with EUR 2.7 billion (12) which can be used to procure medical equipment to be sent where it is needed most. It also supports testing efforts.

Further details are available on the Commission’s website (13).

|(⋅1∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_468 |(⋅2∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_459 |(⋅3∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/crisis-management-and-solidarity_en#bringingstrandedcitizenshome |(⋅4∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/crisis-management-and-solidarity_en#assistance-within-the-eu |(⋅5∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/health/hsc_covid19_en |(⋅6∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/public-health_en#a-european-team-of-covid-19-experts |(⋅7∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/health-research-and-innovation/coronavirus-research-and-innovation_en |(⋅8∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_474 |(⋅9∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/research_by_area/documents/ec_rtd_era-vs-corona_0.pdf |(⋅10∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_680 |(⋅11∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_476 |(⋅12∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_20_577 |(⋅13∙|) https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response_en