Question écrite de
M. Robert BIEDROŃ
-
Commission européenne
Subject: Extraordinary measures to address the consequences of COVID-19
According to economists, the coronavirus pandemic could inflict considerable damage on the global economy, comparable to that caused by the 2008 financial crisis. This crisis will negatively affect SMEs, people working on low-paid and unstable job contracts, as well as many economic sectors in which remote work is not feasible.
The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly proven that the public sector and care work remain largely underfinanced. It has also shown how fragile our economies can be when they are not supported by a robust social policy. A comprehensive, coordinated and urgent EU response is needed to mitigate the socio-economic impact of this crisis.
In the light of the above, could the Commission please clarify:
1. How does the Commission intend to improve the coordination of crisis management mechanisms among the Member States?
2. As existing EU funds will not be sufficient to deal with the outcomes of the pandemic, does the Commission plan to use all the margins available under the multiannual financial framework to mitigate the negative impact of the crisis in the EU?
3. Taking into account the urgent need to make progress with research in diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics – indispensable for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic – can the Commission confirm that it intends to bolster investments in research and innovation outside the framework of the Horizon 2020 Programme?
Answer given by Mr Lenarčič on behalf of the European Commission
(16 July 2020)
The Commission has been working on all fronts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Action has focused on the immediate response to the pandemic (1), including guaranteeing the health and safety of citizens, supporting health systems and frontline staff, maintaining the flow of goods and mitigating the economic impact. The Commission will engage with Member States to draw lessons from the crisis, including a review of the crisis management system and coordination mechanisms.
Its economic response (2) includes the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) and CRII+ (3), EUR 100 billion in loans via SURE (4) for short-term work, an initial EUR 3 billion for the EU Solidarity for Health initiative, and EUR 800 million in 2020 under the expanded Solidarity Fund. The European Social Fund (ESF) and Fund for European Aid for the Most Deprived (FEAD) will improve workers’ health and safety and investment in pandemic prevention/vaccination. The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) will support societies and economies to adapt post-crisis, especially the most vulnerable.
Ambitious changes will be made to the Commission’s proposal for the next long-term budget, focusing on (i) support for investments and reforms; (ii) the European Green Deal and digital transition, (iii) common crisis response tools; and (iv) support to neighbourhood and external partners.
⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response_en
⋅2∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/overview-commissions-response_en
⋅3∙ Regulation (EU) 2020/460 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 March 2020 amending Regulations (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013 and
(EU) No 508/2014 as regards specific measures to mobilise investments in the healthcare systems of Member States and in other sectors of their economies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative) PE/5/2020/REV/1 OJ L 99, 31.3.2020, p. 5; and Regulation (EU) 2020/558 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2020 amending Regulations (EU) No 1301/2013 and (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards specific measures to provide exceptional flexibility for the use of the European Structural and Investments Funds in response to the COVID-19 outbreak PE/7/2020/REV/1 OJ L 130, 24.4.2020, p. 1.
⋅4∙ Council Regulation (EU) 2020/672 of 19 May 2020 on the establishment of a European instrument for temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an
emergency (SURE) following the COVID-19 outbreak, OJ L 159, 20.5.2020, p. 1.
| | )Pledges of EUR 7.4 billion were made for the development of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines at the Coronavirus Global Response Initiative. (5) Vaccine, diagnostics and treatment (6) research is also funded through the European Investment Banks’s EUR 75 million-equity investment (7) in Curevac. Further initiatives include the ERAvsCorona action plan (8), a European COVID-19 Data Platform (9), and the GloPID-R (10) network (11).
⋅5∙ https://europa.eu/covid19/about_en
⋅6∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/health-research-and-innovation/coronavirus-research-and-innovation_en
⋅7∙ https://www.eib.org/en/press/all/2020-103-eib-backs-eur5-billion-investment-to-mitigate-economic-impact-of-coronavirus-and-support-medical-technology#
⋅8∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/research_by_area/documents/ec_rtd_era-vs-corona_0.pdf
⋅9∙ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_680
⋅10∙ https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/874667
⋅11∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/health-research-and-innovation/coronavirus-research_en