| Publisher | European Parliament |
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| Series Title | EP Resolutions (RSP) |
| Series Details | 2020/2616(RSP) |
| Publication Date | 17/04/2020 |
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Summary: Resolution adopted by the European Parliament in April 2020 setting out a its visiton for the European Union's approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further information: The Parliament expressed concern for the ability of Member States to act collectively initially, but also noted that countries increasingly appeared to understand that only through cooperation, trust and solidarity the crisis could be overcome. The resolution calls on the European Commission and the Member States to act together and rise to the challenge, and welcomes different examples of solidarity already registered between countries. The Resolution insists that borders must remain open within the EU for the circulation of personal protective equipment (PPE), food, medicine, medical devices, blood-derived products and organs as well as the supply chain in the Single Market. It calls on the Commission to launch an effective exit strategy and encourages Member States to develop more systematic testing and share best practices. The text also calls on the Commission to propose a recovery and reconstruction package for investment to support the European economy after this crisis. This should be part of the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and beyond existing plans for immediate support. It should not involve mutualisation of existing debt and should be oriented to future investment. The Parliament also proposes the creation of an EU COVID-19 Solidarity Fund of at least €50 billion. This document also stresses the importance of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the rule of law in this particular moment. It calls on the Commission and Member states to be fully transparent about the functioning of any contact-tracing applications and also urges the EU to set up a European information source about COVID-19 to tackle the threat of disinformation. Going forward, the Parliament also urges the EU to reflect on increasing its power to address cross-border health threats, to improve coordination associated with appropriate resources. The text was discussed by the EP plenary on 16 April 2020 and adopted on 17 April 2020. It was tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D, Renew and Greens/EFA groups. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2020/2616(RSP) |
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| Subject Categories | Health |
| Subject Tags | Public Health |
| Keywords | COVID-19 (Coronavirus) |
| International Organisations | European Union [EU] |
