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A review of the main measures taken at the EU point to coordinate the reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, mitigate the socio-economic impact of the pandemic and help EU countries recover.
On the thirteenth of June 2022, the Council and the European Parliament agreed to the extension of the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation. On 28 June 2022, the Council followed this regulation to extend the validity of the certificate for one year, until 30 June 2023.
The Council followed the latest recommendations on measures on 13 December 2022. According to the new recommendations, Member States deserve not to impose any restrictions on grounds of public suitability. However, the recommendations imply some safeguards to cover a deteriorating epidemiological scenario or the emergence of a new variant of concern.
The EU and its Member States are implementing themselves in combination with national fitness systems and restricting the spread of the virus.
At the same time, the EU is coordinating the reaction to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 and help EU countries recover.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the EU has been working with its Member States to improve the fitness and well-being of EU citizens and save lives.
EU leaders agreed in March 2020 on four priorities to consult the EU’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, EU leaders met via video convention to discuss and assess the scenario and coordinate actions. Even after the emergency, the European Council has returned to the issue of COVID-19.
While running on the long-term recovery, EU leaders agreed to continue the coordination effort at the EU point on other fronts:
The progression and distribution of effective COVID-19 vaccines is a sustainable solution and a cornerstone of the EU’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the EU has been redirecting investment in studies towards the most promising vaccine pathways and coordinating a joint effort for the production and delivery of sufficient vaccines to EU countries.
The European Medicines Agency has authorised seven COVID-19 vaccines for use in the EU.
COVID-19 vaccination campaigns on 27 December 2020 across the EU. In June 2022, 18 months later, nine out of ten adults in the EU population (86%) are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The speed at which the many pieces of the puzzle combined with other coronavirus people is a story of clinical innovation and ingenuity subsidized through continued cooperation, timely policy decisions, and enormous medical and logistical efforts.
What made this possible?What difficult situations remain to triumph over the pandemic?Follow the adventure of COVID-19 vaccines from their invention in a lab to their delivery to others across Europe and beyond.
EU countries are coordinating in the Council to facilitate loose movement in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. They adopt joint recommendations on travel measures that are up-to-date and adapted to the existing epidemiological situation.
The Council’s most recent recommendations on measures were followed on 13 December 2022.
According to the new recommendations, Member States deserve not to impose any restrictions on public fitness grounds. However, the recommendations involve some safeguards to cover a deteriorating epidemiological scenario or the emergence of a new variant of concern.
The EU agreed to factor a common EU Digital COVID Certificate that facilitates the free movement and safety of the COVID-19 pandemic by offering evidence that a user has:
The EU has agreed to an extension of the EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation, so that the validity of the certificate is extended until June 30, 2023.
To help EU citizens, businesses and countries emerge from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, EU leaders agreed to draw up a plan for Europe. On 23 April 2020, they committed to creating an EU fund to mitigate the effects of the crisis.
On 21 July 2020, EU leaders agreed on an overall budget of €1. 824 billion for the period 2021-2027. Combining the multiannual financial framework (MFF) with a remedial recovery effort of €750 billion (€800 billion at current prices), Next Generation EU (NGEU), the package is helping to rebuild the EU after the COVID-19 pandemic and supports investment in the green and virtual transitions.
This is in addition to the 3 €540 billion safety nets already established across the EU for workers, businesses and countries.
In October 2020, EU leaders set priorities for the EU’s recovery. They called for a return to a fully functioning single market as soon as possible, for EU industries to be more globally competitive and autonomous, and for the virtual transition to be accelerated.
The Council and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on the package on 10 November 2020. The European Council of 10-11 December 2020 addressed considerations on the agreement and paved the way for the adoption of the recovery package by 1 January 2021.
There is a wonderful story to tell about how the EU and its Member States work together to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it’s getting safe and effective vaccines, sending medical supplies where it’s needed most, or receiving patients from other countries; from jobs and protection personnel to helping spouse countries around the world, EU countries have gone above and beyond.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge and demands a global response. Acting together, guided by the principles of solidarity and multilateralism, EU countries have provided their partners around the world and secured significant investment to counter the disruptive global consequences of the pandemic. .
Team Europe is a major donor to COVAX, the global collaboration to drive the development, production and equity of COVID-19 tests, remedies and vaccines.
EU Member States committed in May 2021 to donate doses of COVID-19 vaccines to partners around the world. In addition, the EU and its Member States partners with donations and exports of vaccines, as well as monetary and humanitarian to countries in need.
Only a shared spirit of solidarity and duty will overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
On 30 March 2021, an organization of world leaders joined European Council President Charles Michel and the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) to call for a foreign treaty for preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for long-term generational advantages. .
In a special consultation of the World Health Assembly, WHO’s 194 members followed the resolution of 1 December 2021 to publish the procedure for developing and negotiating a new pandemic agreement.
During this crisis, EU countries are stepping up their efforts with each other, helping those most in need and sharing resources to combat the spread of the virus. This is the maximum productivity of European solidarity.
The EU has also helped EU citizens stranded in third countries during the first wave of the pandemic. EU delegations worked with Member States’ embassies to coordinate the repatriation of more than 650,000 EU citizens, contributing to the prices of more than 400 repatriation flights organised through the members. States
In these times of crisis, the EU and its Member States act together and help each other.
The EU has already mobilised resources for the emergency response to the virus: securing the source of protective equipment, boosting studies and informing our global partners that they need it.
On 28 January 2020, the Croatian Presidency will activate the EU’s Integrated Political Crisis Response Mechanism (IPCR) in information exchange mode to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The IPCR is the EU’s framework for cross-sectoral crisis coordination at the highest political level.
The way data is shared means that Member States have to:
Taking into account the evolution of the scenario and the rest of the sectors affected (health, consular, civil protection, economy) by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidency changed the activation of the IPCR mechanism to full mode on 2 March 2020. The complete activation The imaginable way copes with the crisis in circular tables with the participation of:
During the first outbreak, the Croatian presidency took the decision to convene normal circular tables to facilitate data sharing and coordination of the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Circular roundtables continued to be convened during the next presidencies.
To date, the IPCR mechanism continues to be activated in full mode.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). It was first met in China in December 2019.
In December 2019, a COVID-19 outbreak broke out in the Chinese municipality of Wuhan, spreading to other parts of China and the world. In January 2020, remote instances emerged in some EU Member States.
At the end of February 2020, Italy reported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases concentrated in the northern regions of the country. Most other EU Member States have reported cases of inflamed people.
As of March 2020, all EU Member States had reported COVID-19. Since then, the number has continued to rise.
The Council, in combination with other EU institutions, is closely monitoring the scenario and taking action. This includes the adoption of applicable EU legislation and uninterrupted coordination with Member States for information rate, wish assessment and a consistent response across the EU.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is coordinating the global response. On 11 March 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The EU contributes to WHO’s global response.
For updates on COVID-19 Board meetings, press releases, infographics, and publications, see here:
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