Health
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Future-proofing Europe’s digital health innovation pathway
Jan-Philipp Beck, CEO of EIT Health, discusses how the digital healthcare pathway must evolve to meet the changing and growing needs of patients, citizens and healthcare systems across Europe.
ECB doubles down on pandemic response after German ruling
The European Central Bank announced on Thursday (4 June) that it will add €600 billion to its €750 billion bond-buying response against the coronavirus, in its first governing council meeting after Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled against the bank's asset-purchasing programme.
EU, UK back new vaccine fund after COVID-19 disrupts immunisation
Leaders pledged more than $7.5 billion to finance the distribution of vaccines to combat infectious diseases in the world’s poorest countries over the next five years at a UK-hosted Global Vaccine summit on Thursday (4 June).
Germany’s €130bn stimulus package praised by all sides
After 21 hours of negotiations spread over two days, Germany's grand coalition came to an agreement on the €130 billion economic stimulus package close to midnight on Wednesday (3 June). The result has been received surprisingly positively by all sides. EURACTIV Germany reports.
A million pre-paid beers await drinkers as Europe’s bars reopen
As bars across Europe gradually reopen, up to a million free or pre-paid beers are waiting to lure back wary consumers.
Airports and airlines volunteer to be EU virus safety guinea pigs
EU guidelines put together by the bloc’s aviation safety and health agencies will be trialled by seven of Europe’s airport operators and three of its airlines, as the air travel industry begins to kick back into gear following the coronavirus outbreak slump.
Germany’s ruling parties agree on €130bn virus stimulus
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition on Wednesday (3 June) agreed a bumper stimulus package to speed up Germany’s recovery from the coronavirus. It includes a reduced VAT rate and beefed-up electric vehicle purchase premiums.
24 countries sign pledge to boost international rail routes
Twenty-four European countries agreed on Wednesday (3 June) to work together on international rail transport and make it “an attractive alternative” over distances where it is currently not competitive.
Belgium to exit lockdown, return to ‘new normal’
Belgium is set to enter Phase 3 of deconfinement measures next week, with a reopening of hotels, bars and restaurants and eased tourism restrictions, the National Security Council (CNS) said on Wednesday (3 June).
UK lawmakers attack Johnson government over 14 day quarantine rules
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was on Wednesday (3 June) accused of acting too late and inflicting major damage on tourism after announcing that it will impose new quarantine requirements that force people arriving in the UK to self-isolate for 14 days from 8 June.
Commission vows to break with troika-type conditions in recovery phase
It is increasingly evident that the European Commission has no intention to return to the tight cash-for-reform system to manage the recovery funds and that ‘hawkish’ member states could find it difficult to turn the proposed procedure into a troika-type oversight.
Germany to lift travel warning for Europe
On 15 June, the German travel warnings for EU countries including the extended Schengen area and UK will end, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday (3 June). EURACTIV Germany reports.
Has COVID-19 increased the threat of bioterrorism in Europe?
As the global struggle to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerability of global societies to biological threats, both natural and manmade, experts have warned of a potential increase in the use of biological weapons, like viruses or bacteria, in a post-coronavirus world.
Car emissions spike, as countries plan ‘cash for clunkers’ redux
Europe’s average CO2 emissions from new cars and vans increased again in 2018, according to data released on Wednesday (3 June) by the EU’s environment agency. National plans aimed at stimulating the sector could worsen those figures further.
Stronger follow-up on EU organ donation action plan is necessary, health expert says
The EU Action plan on organ donation has encouraging greater co-operation on organ donation and transplants but stronger follow-up on its implementation is necessary, a Croatian health policymaker told EURACTIV in an interview.
Lufthansa board gives green light to €9bn bailout
The supervisory board of German airline Lufthansa voted on Monday (1 June) in favour of the government's €9 billion aid package, after the European Commission compromised on its conditions for approving the bailout.
World COVID-19 cases top 6 million as leaders disagree on pandemic response
The number of coronavirus cases worldwide topped six million Sunday (31 May), with Brazil registering another record surge in daily infections as divisions deepened on how to deal with the pandemic.
Renault targets €2bn in savings, will cut 15,000 jobs
Carmaker Renault said Friday (29 May) that it would cut nearly 15,000 jobs, including 4,600 at its core French operations, as it seeks to steer out of a cash crunch exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis.
Vestager defends EU approach to Lufthansa mega bailout, as carrier agrees terms
EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said on Friday (29 May) that the European Commission was not creating unnecessary obstacles to Lufthansa's €9 billion bailout, shortly before the carrier agreed to accept the Commission's set of conditions.
Italians least satisfied with EU’s coronavirus response
According to a survey carried out for the European Parliament, Italians are the least satisfied EU citizens when it comes to the EU's response to the coronavirus crisis. EURACTIV Italy reports.
Will the EU have a new ‘single market tax’ for multinationals?
The European Commission is working on a proposal for a new tax on multinationals operating on the single market to finance the recently proposed recovery fund, but the Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, told EURACTIV he recommends being "very cautious" rather than too imaginative in picking new levies.
EU urged not to mess with UN aviation rules
Leading MEPs have asked the European Commission and Council not to seek changes to the UN's global aviation scheme, which is aimed at making the industry carbon neutral. Airlines have requested more leeway to ride out the coronavirus outbreak slump.
Denmark reopens borders for locked-out lovers
More than two months after closing its borders, Denmark has loosened restrictions to let couples separated by coronavirus lockdowns finally see each other again -- even if the easing applies just to partners from a few nearby countries for now.