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“Times of crisis are times of executive power,” says Benjamin Hohne, political scientist at the Institute for Parliamentary Studies in Berlin.

Will the coronavirus cause the comeback of Germany’s political centre?

By: EBR | Friday, April 17, 2020

Germans are more satisfied with their government than they have been for a long time, thanks to its coronavirus response. It is making life increasingly difficult for the opposition

“We have seen developments that we weren’t necessarily expecting, like unilateral measures taken by member states in terms of mobility of people. The ban on flights also, which started unequally, and then developed at a high level”.

EU transport chief cautions against green strings for airline bailouts

By: EBR | Thursday, April 16, 2020

European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean told that the coronavirus outbreak means it is the wrong time to condition state aid for airlines on green measures, but warned the industry to stick to its passenger rights obligations

"Saving lives and protecting Europeans from the coronavirus is our number one priority. At the same time, it is time to look ahead and to focus on protecting livelihoods."

European roadmap shows path towards common lifting of containment measures

By: EBR | Thursday, April 16, 2020

The Commission, in cooperation with the President of the European Council, has put forward a European roadmap to phase-out the containment measures due to the coronavirus outbreak

“Member states still have one year to transpose the SUP Directive in national law,” Loonela replied when asked to comment about industry calls to postpone the implementation of the single-use plastic directive “for at least an additional year”.

EU dismisses industry calls to lift ban on single-use plastics

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Deadlines have to be respected, says the European Commission in response to calls by industry to lift an EU-wide ban on some single-use plastic items because of health and hygiene concerns raised during the COVID-19 outbreak

“The necessary investment would be financed by an increased MFF, the existing EU funds and financial instruments, and recovery bonds guaranteed by the EU budget; this package should not involve the mutualisation of existing debt and should be oriented to future investment”.

EU Parliament’s big four back ‘recovery bonds’ to tackle COVID-19 crisis

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 15, 2020

The European Parliament’s largest political groups back the issuing of ‘recovery bonds’ guaranteed by the EU budget to help tackle the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis

"It’s too difficult to predict what Europe will look like once this pandemic has run its course. Debates have already begun about the merits of working from home, about how the pandemic has benefited the environment, about how health systems should be improved, and about how this virus has exposed a lack of resilience."

Europe’s Missing Coronavirus Exit Strategy

By: EBR | Tuesday, April 14, 2020

With the coronavirus pandemic challenging European democracies, not only with help from China and Russia but also from within, Europe must prepare an exit strategy

This is a struggle by all of humanity, for the right to life, and for the right to health of every person, writes Eamon Gilmore.

Fighting COVID-19 is a battle for human rights

By: EBR | Tuesday, April 14, 2020

The Covid-19 crisis is a human rights issue, one of the most global and urgent we have ever seen

"Even if there are still many things unknown about 2019-nCoV [coronavirus], European countries have the necessary capacities to prevent and control an outbreak as soon as cases are detected".

How the EU’s virus-alert agency failed

By: EBR | Monday, April 13, 2020

Two months before Europe was declared the epicentre of the pandemic, the EU agency meant to sound the alarm of viral infections was painting a rosy picture

The deal allows the European Investment Bank to set up a fund of €200 billion in loans for cash-strapped companies across the bloc.

€540billion aid but no ‘corona bonds’

By: N. Peter Kramer | Friday, April 10, 2020

The Eurogroup finance ministers unlocked a €540billion package of measures aiming at stopping the coronavirus from ravaging the EU economy

Polarizing, propaganda-like information appears to be the new normal and is being disseminated by all sides.

Is the Coronavirus Breeding Disinformation Across Europe?

By: EBR | Friday, April 10, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is generating all kinds of conspiracy theories, while Russia and China use it to sow distrust and uncertainty, fear and divisions across Europe

"I urge all EU member states to tackle this problem with determination and to communicate actively where and how those affected can get help."

COVID-19: Stopping the rise in domestic violence during lockdown

By: EBR | Thursday, April 9, 2020

Women’s Rights committee Chair, Evelyn Regner, urges the EU and member states to increase support to victims of domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis

“We are currently battling the coronavirus outbreak, but we must not lose sight of our long-term sustainability objectives, including making Europe climate-neutral by 2050”.

EU says green finance will be ‘key focus’ of post-virus recovery phase

By: EBR | Thursday, April 9, 2020

As European countries fight the coronavirus pandemic, they “must not lose sight” of the EU’s climate neutrality objective, the European Commission reminded on Wednesday (8 April)

“After 16h of discussions we came close to a deal but we are not there yet,” said Eurogroup President Mario Centeno.

Eurogroup fails to progress on economic response to pandemic

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 8, 2020

After a 16-hour teleconference that concluded on Wednesday morning (8 April), eurozone finance ministers failed to find an agreement on the economic package to tackle the economic impact of the coronavirus

"Protecting the citizens is the top priority for all of us in the European Union. Helping each other is a matter of course. We are therefore using free capacities in German hospitals to treat patients from Italy and France in need of urgent intensive care, and German doctors have gone to help in Spain..."

“A response to the corona crisis in Europe based on solidarity”

By: EBR | Tuesday, April 7, 2020

This virus knows no borders; it does not differentiate on the basis of colour or nationality

EU-countries have speedy access to the first ever RescEU stockpile of medical equipment, such as ventilators and protective masks, under the Civil Protection Mechanism.

10 things the EU is doing to fight the coronavirus

By: EBR | Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Find out what the EU is doing to mitigate the impact of the Covid19 outbreak, protect people and the economy and promote solidarity

As people are driving less, demand for fuel has dropped dramatically. This, in parallel, results in less biofuel use; thus, several biofuel producers throughout Europe had to reduce substantially its production output.

Dropping biofuel mandate would be a toxic blow for the industry

By: EBR | Monday, April 6, 2020

Last week, a large group of EU-based biofuel producers and associations raised a red flag over reports that some member states are considering or are already dropping the mandates on renewable energy in transport in view of the COVID-19 crisis

"In this difficult period on many fronts, we are mobilising all EU programmes to support our companies, big or small. We are also preparing for the future..."

European Defence Fund: EU funds new joint research and industrial projects

By: EBR | Monday, April 6, 2020

The Commission is opening calls for proposals to finance up to €160 million in joint defence industrial projects in 2020

The global health crisis we are all grappling with has, for me, exposed two essential facts. The first is that we are all equal. The second is that none of us are alone.

Holding together at the seams: Europe as the epicentre of solidarity

By: EBR | Friday, April 3, 2020

“I am not an Athenian, nor a Greek, but a citizen of the world” said Socrates

The Commission wants to directly support the healthcare systems of EU Member States in their fights against the coronavirus pandemic through measures that can best be taken at EU level.

European Union Support for the healthcare sector

By: EBR | Thursday, April 2, 2020

European Union Emergency Support Instrument for the healthcare sector - questions and answers

EU institutions have repeatedly warned of the risks linked to disinformation attempts and scams. To support factual and reliable information, a joint EU page has been set up about Europe’s response to the virus.

Fact-checking Day: Fighting the virus of disinformation on Covid-19

By: EBR | Thursday, April 2, 2020

The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to fake news and disinformation spreading, which hamper efforts to contain the pandemic

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