Coronavirus
Spain to reopen borders to foreign tourists from July
Spain's tourism sector should prepare to welcome holidaymakers over the summer season as the country will reopen its borders to foreign visitors from July, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told a press conference in Madrid on Saturday (23 May). EURACTIV's partner EFE reports.
Member states brace for ‘great stimulus’ battle
The European Commission’s proposal on the next seven-year budget and the accompanying recovery fund will this Wednesday (27 May) launch one of the most difficult negotiations in the EU history, as member states disagree over the size, shape and conditions, and primarily whether to give grants or loans.
‘Frugal Four’ present counter-plan to Macron-Merkel EU recovery scheme
The "Frugal Four" (Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden) presented their own draft for an EU recovery fund in a 'non-paper' sent to the EU capitals on Saturday (23 May). The most important point: aid money must be repaid. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU air safety agency urges masks, social distancing for flights
The EU’s air safety agency EASA is recommending airlines and airports impose measures such as masks and social distancing to limit the risk of coronavirus for passengers. The guidelines, produced jointly with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control...
Commission warns against the risk of the COVID19 becoming a social crisis
The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic has hit the European economy hard, but not equally across all countries and sectors, and the fragmentation could lead to a social crisis, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit warned on Wednesday (20 May).
‘Frugal Four’ working on counter-proposal to Franco-German recovery fund
The €500 billion Franco-German EU recovery plan, presented on Monday (18 May), is too generous, according to the "Frugal Four" countries, who are working on a counter-proposal insisting on loans instead of grants and subsidies, diplomatic circles confirmed to EURACTIV Germany.
As Europe slowly exits lockdown, Sweden hunkers down for long haul
Sweden has taken a soft approach to virus restrictions and although its rules are likely to be in place longer than in other countries, officials are adamant their strategy is a winner in the long term.
Number of bleach-related incidents up in Belgium due to COVID-19 fears
Belgium’s Poison Control Centre has recorded an increase of 15% in the number of calls it receives since the COVID-19 outbreak in mid-March, as people have increasingly started experimenting with hazardous substances. “The consequences of the coronavirus crisis are making...
Estonia starts testing digital immunity passport for workplaces
Estonia has started to test one of the world's first digital immunity passports, created by a team including founders of global tech startups Transferwise and Bolt, seeking a safer return to workplaces following the coronavirus lockdown.
EU recovery funds will come with strings attached
The EU’s unprecedented stimulus to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic will come with certain conditions which should reflect the extraordinary nature of this crisis and the European goals, senior MEPs and diplomats have said
EU’s battery mega-projects charge on despite virus
The European Union’s quest to corner a sizeable chunk of the globe’s battery market has batted off the worst effects of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the officials tasked with overseeing the mini-industrial strategy.
EU backs WHO as its members agree to independent probe of COVID-19 outbreak
World Health Organisation member states agreed on Tuesday (19 May) to an independent probe into the UN agency's handling of the coronavirus crisis. The agreement came with an EU-brokered resolution that called for multilateralism and was in stark contrast to US criticism of the body's actions during the pandemic.
Coronavirus outbreak exposing vulnerabilities in the EU meat sector
After multiple outbreaks of coronavirus brought meat-processing plants to a standstill across the US, a similar trend has started to be seen across the EU, with potentially damaging consequences for the sector.
Franco-German couple sets eyes on EU health sovereignty
A joint COVID-19 recovery proposal put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (18 May) calls for a new European approach to health crises, aiming for greater EU sovereignty on medical products and pharmaceuticals.
Vaccine hesitancy creates concern in the fight against COVID-19
Scepticism about adverse effects and actual lack of efficacy in immunisation practices can become an important negative factor when a vaccine against coronavirus becomes available, according to the head of the EU's medicines agency (EMA), Guido Rasi.
WHO to review virus response as Trump renews attack
The World Health Organization said on Monday (18 May) it would launch an independent review of its response to the coronavirus pandemic as US President Donald Trump renewed his attack on the global body, branding it a "puppet of China".
Merkel and Macron roll out €500 billion COVID-19 recovery initiative
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron announced their joint proposal for a €500 billion European recovery programme following a virtual conference on Monday (18 May). The initiative seeks to bring Europe out of the crisis “united and in solidarity,” and prepare the EU for future challenges. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Italy to reopen borders for EU tourists in early June
Italy will reopen to European tourists from early June and scrap a 14-day mandatory quarantine period, the government said on Saturday (16 May), as it quickened the exit from the coronavirus lockdown.
WHO to kick off international meet amid US-China tensions
The World Health Organization will on Monday (18 May) kick off its first ever virtual assembly, but fears abound that US-China tensions could derail the strong action needed to address the COVID-19 crisis. The World Health Assembly (WHA), which has...
Europe pins hopes on antibody tests to avoid second virus wave
As Europe gingerly eases its coronavirus lockdowns, many governments are scrambling to buy antibody tests to find out how many of their citizens were infected, in the hope that will help them craft strategies to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 cases.
With almost €100 billion in tax losses, Scholz announces another stimulus package
For the German budget, the pandemic means greater expenditures and less income. For the first time since the financial crisis, tax revenues are falling but Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) is not thinking about austerity. On the contrary, another economic stimulus package is planned in June to help boost the economy, EURACTIV Germany reports. InfographicPromoted content
#KeepMedicinesMoving during COVID-19
Our Call for action calls for a European coordination to ensure the supply and circulation of medicines to deliver equitable patient access by acting in the four main areas. Medicine Supply, Transport, International trade and workforce.
Slovenia calls an official end to its coronavirus epidemic
The Slovenian government late on Thursday (14 May) called an official end to its coronavirus epidemic, becoming the first European country to do so, after authorities confirmed less than seven new coronavirus cases each day for the past two weeks.