Overview
The EU’s top priority is to safeguard the health of its citizens.
The EU and its member states are working together to reinforce national healthcare systems and contain the spread of the virus. At the same time, the EU and its member states are taking action to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.
This page gives you an overview of the EU’s common response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The EU’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak
The EU’s response to COVID-19 focuses on four priorities:
- limiting the spread of the virus
- ensuring the provision of medical equipment
- promoting research for treatments and vaccines
- supporting jobs, businesses and the economy
These priorities were agreed on by EU leaders who regularly meet by video conference to discuss and assess the EU’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
On 23 April 2020, EU leaders endorsed a €540 billion package of three safety nets for workers, businesses and member states. They also agreed to work towards establishing a recovery fund.
European solidarity in action
During this crisis, EU countries are stepping up their efforts to support each other, helping those most in need and sharing resources to fight the spread of the virus. This is EU solidarity at its best.
The EU is also helping EU citizens stranded in third countries. EU delegations are working with member states' embassies to coordinate the repatriation of EU citizens.
Only a shared spirit of global solidarity and responsibility will defeat the COVID-19 crisis.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge and requires a global response. The EU has committed to a global response package of €20 billion to support partner countries' efforts in fighting the pandemic.
Together with WHO and other partners, the EU hosted an international pledging conference on 4 May 2020 and helped raise €7.4 billion in initial funding to kick-start a global research cooperation.
The world quickly needs to develop and deploy effective diagnostics, treatments and a vaccine. Without them, every country in the world remains vulnerable. The funds collected will be channelled into three strands: diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. The Coronavirus Global Response initiative is part of the EU's multilateral global response to the COVID-19 crisis and follows up on a commitment made by EU leaders at the G20 and G7 meetings.
At the EU-Western Balkans Zagreb summit, held via video conference on 6 May 2020, the EU leaders reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the collaboration in the fight against COVID-19 with the Western Balkans partners.
The EU is mobilising a package of over €3.3 billion to the benefit of the Western Balkans partners to support the health sector, social and economic recovery, and provide macro- as well as micro-financial assistance through the European Investment Bank.
The EU's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic: what the EU has already done
During these times of crisis, the EU and its member states are working together and helping each other.
The EU has already mobilised resources to support the emergency response to the virus: ensuring supply of protective equipment, boosting research and supporting our global partners in need.
Limiting the spread of the virus
The EU is working together with its member states to contain the spread of the virus.
To slow down the transmission of the virus, EU leaders agreed on a coordinated temporary restriction of non-essential travel to the EU for 30 days. The travel of European citizens outside the EU is also discouraged.
To coordinate the EU response to the COVID-19 outbreak:
- the Council activated the EU integrated political crisis response (IPCR) holding weekly roundtables gathering EU institutions, EU agencies experts and representatives of affected member states
- the European Commission and the Council are facilitating permanent contact and coordination between relevant national ministries
- the President of the European Council holds video conferences with EU leaders
The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) is issuing rapid risk assessments and epidemiological updates for the EU population.
The EU is also committed to countering disinformation on the virus with transparent, timely and fact-based communication. For a list of official sources of updated information on COVID-19 see here:
Ensuring provision of medical equipment
The EU is working together with its member states to ensure the provision of personal protective equipment and medical supplies across Europe via:
- four joint public procurement worth up to a collective total of €1.5 billion for face masks and other personal protective equipment
- close contacts with European industry to convert production and increase supply of all necessary equipment
- regulated exports of personal protective equipment from the EU to ensure supply in all member states
- priority lanes to facilitate the free circulation of goods and people who need to cross borders
- harmonised and freely available European standards for medical supplies to facilitate increase of production
Additionally, under the union civil protection mechanism, the EU has:
- coordinated the deployment of medical teams to most affected areas
- facilitated the sourcing for additional protective equipment, especially medical masks
- activated the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, to coordinate support 24/7
- created a new common European reserve of emergency medical equipment, such as ventilators, protective masks and laboratory supplies to help EU countries in need (RescEU)
Promoting research for treatments and vaccines
€380+ million
research funds to develop treatments and vaccines
The EU is fast-tracking and promoting research on COVID-19 by mobilising:
- €48.25 million for 18 projects for vaccines and treatment via the EU's Horizon 2020 research programme
- €90 million in public and private funds for therapeutics and diagnostics via the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)
Additionally, the EU has redirected:
- €164 million for SMEs and startups for innovative solutions to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak via the European Innovation Council accelerator programme
- up to €80 million in financial support to CureVac, a highly innovative European vaccine developer, via a common EU - European Investment Bank initiative
Together with several partners, the EU has also launched a European COVID-19 data portal to enable the rapid collection and sharing of available research data.
Supporting jobs, businesses and the economy
€540 billion
Support package for jobs and workers, businesses and member states.
The EU and its member states are taking action to minimise the fallout on the economy of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On 9 April 2020, the Eurogroup put forward in a report to EU leaders, three immediate safety nets, worth €540 billion for:
- jobs and workers
- businesses
- member states
EU leaders endorsed the proposal of the Eurogroup for the three safety nets on 23 April 2020, and called for the package to be operational by 1 June 2020.
Jobs and workers
The EU is putting forward temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency (SURE) to help people keep their job during the crisis. The scheme provides loans to member states of up to €100 billion to cover part of the costs related to the creation or extension of national short-time work schemes.
Businesses
European Investment Bank (EIB) Group to create a pan-European guarantee fund: loans up to €200 billion for companies with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the EU.
This comes on top of €40 billion already leveraged to bridge short-term financing needs of SMEs.
Member states
European Stability Mechanism to set up Pandemic Crisis Support based on an existing precautionary credit line, adjusted in light of the COVID-19 crisis: loans available to all euro area member states up to 2% of their GDP (worth €240 billion).
EU recovery fund
On 23 April 2020, EU leaders also agreed to work towards establishing a recovery fund. They tasked the Commission to analyse the exact needs and to urgently come up with a proposal.
Use of the EU budget
The EU has amended its budget for 2020, adding €3.1 billion to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The additional funds will be used to:
- purchase and distribute medical supplies, including protective gear and ventilators
- boost the production of testing kits
- build field hospitals
- transfer patients for treatment in other member states
- repatriate EU citizens stranded abroad
The EU has quickly redirected EU funds to help member states tackle the COVID-19 crisis:
- €37 billion from the EU budget available to support healthcare systems, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and labour markets via the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative
- up to €28 billion of structural funds, from 2014-2020 national envelopes not yet allocated to projects, are eligible for crisis response
- up to €800 million from the EU Solidarity Fund, directed at the countries hardest hit, thanks to an extension of the scope of the fund to public health crises
The EU has also adopted measures to ensure additional flexibility in the use of structural funds. Thanks to the so-called Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus:
- member states can transfer money between different funds to meet their needs
- resources can be redirected to the most affected regions, thanks to a suspension of the conditions on which regions are entitled to funding
- member states can request up to 100% financing from the EU budget between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 for programmes dealing with the impact of the pandemic
The initiative also includes support for fishermen and farmers and a revision of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD).
Flexibility in EU rules
The EU has enabled maximum flexibility in the application of EU rules on:
- state aid measures to support businesses and workers
- public finances and fiscal policies, e.g. to accommodate exceptional spending
To preserve jobs and businesses the EU has adopted temporary state aid rules that allow member states to financially support companies and citizens who are struggling due to the COVID-19 economic fallout.
The EU suspended the airport slot requirements which oblige airlines to use at least 80% of their take-off and landing slots in order to keep them the following year. The temporary waiver, applicable until 24 October 2020, helps air carriers cope with the drastic drop in air traffic caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Monetary policy
In addition, the European Central Bank announced a €750 billion pandemic emergency purchase programme.
Coordinated efforts at EU and member state level
Altogether, the EU and its member states are mobilising
3%
EU GDP in fiscal measures
16%
EU GDP in liquidity support
Helping EU citizens stranded abroad
560.000
EU citizens already repatriated
The EU and its member states are working to repatriate more than 650.000 EU citizens stranded abroad. EU countries and EU delegations provide consular assistance to help EU citizens return home.
More than 65.000 people, of whom 58.000 are EU citizens, have been repatriated so far thanks to EU logistical and financial support. Thanks to the EU civil protection mechanism, 75% of the costs of these flights are paid by the EU.
Crisis coordination on the COVID-19 outbreak
On 28 January 2020, the Croatian presidency decided to activate the EU's integrated political crisis response mechanism (IPCR) in information sharing mode. IPCR is the EU framework for coordination of cross-sectoral crises at the highest political level.
The information sharing mode means that member states have access to:
- regular situational awareness and analysis reports by the European Commission and the European External Action Service
- a dedicated page on a secured web platform to share information
Considering the changing situation and the different sectors affected (health, consular, civil protection, economy), the presidency escalated the activation of the IPCR mechanism to full mode on 2 March 2020. The full activation mode allows for crisis roundtables with the participation of:
- affected member states
- the European Commission
- the European External Action Service
- the office of the President of the European Council
- relevant EU agencies and experts
The Croatian presidency convenes weekly roundtables to facilitate the exchange of information and coordination of crisis response.
Background
COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). It was first identified in China in December 2019.
In December 2019, there was an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Chinese municipality of Wuhan, quickly spreading to other regions of China and the world. By January 2020, isolated cases had appeared in some EU member states.
At the end of February 2020, Italy reported a significant increase of COVID-19 cases concentrated in the northern regions of the country. Most other EU member states started reporting cases of people infected.
By March 2020, all EU member states had reported COVID-19 cases. The number of cases has since continued to increase.
The Council, together with other EU institutions, is closely monitoring the situation and taking action. This includes adoption of relevant EU legislation and ongoing coordination with member states to share information, assess needs and ensure a coherent EU-wide response.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is coordinating the worldwide response. On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The EU is directly contributing to the global response of the WHO.
For more updates on COVID-19 related Council meetings, press releases, infographics and publications see here:
