EU leaders will hold a new video summit on 19 November to discuss responses to the coronavirus pandemic impacting their citizens’ health and national economies, the European Council said Tuesday (3 November).
European Council President Charles Michel “will convene a new EUCO (EU summit) videoconference to the EU response to covid-19 on Thursday 19 November at 6pm (1700 GMT),” his spokesman Barend Leyts tweeted.
As discussed during last week’s meeting of the Members of the European Council #EU27 @eucopresident will convene a new #EUCO videoconference dedicated to the EU response to #COVIDー19 on Thursday 19 November at 6pm.
— Barend Leyts (@BarendLeyts) November 3, 2020
The European heads of state and government held an initial video summit dedicated to the issue on 29 October, with the aim of coming up with better coordination and learning from each others’ experiences. They have said they intend to hold such exchanges regularly.
Europe is struggling under a second wave of coronavirus infections that threatens to outpace the first wave early this year.
As the world mourns at least 1.2 million deaths linked to the disease, Europe has emerged as the region where the virus is now propagating fastest, taxing hospitals’ ability to cope.
That has prompted governments to re-impose curfews, bar closures and other severe restrictions, despite sharp discontent from some segments of the public.