Health
Portugal’s coronavirus cases grow, half a million workers at risk of lay off
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Portugal pushed past the 10,000 mark on Saturday (4 April), while government data showed more than half a million Portuguese workers were at risk of being temporarily laid off due to the outbreak.
UK PM Johnson hospitalised for tests after ‘persistent coronavirus symptoms’
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital for tests on Sunday (5 April) after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms 10 days after testing positive for the virus, though Downing Street said he remained in charge of the government.
5G coronavirus conspiracy theory is dangerous fake nonsense, UK says
A conspiracy theory that links 5G mobile telecommunications masts to the spread of the novel coronavirus is dangerous fake news and completely false, Britain said on Saturday (4 April) after masts in several parts of the country were torched.
Smartphone vs virus, is privacy always going to be the loser?
In Europe, officials, doctors and engineers are looking at how smartphones could be enlisted in the war against the spread of the new coronavirus.
UK opens first COVID hospital but criticism of testing plans mount
The UK opened its first emergency field hospital to combat the coronavirus pandemic on Friday (3 April) but the government continues to face growing criticism about its plans to increase testing for the virus.
COVID-19: Worst is yet to come in conflict zones, UN chief warns
In countries stricken by conflict, where health systems have already collapsed, "the worst is yet to come" as the coronavirus continues to spread, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday (3 April), reiterating his call for a global ceasefire to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19: Commission paves way to draw €37 billion from structural funds
The European Commission proposed numerous changes to its cohesion policy rulebook on Thursday (2 April) in order to draw €37 billion of unused funds to finance various measures during the coronavirus pandemic. But these measures can only help to a limited extent. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Europe must be the frontrunner to avoid Africa’s corona boomerang
It's in the EU's interest to step up humanitarian, social and economic aid and do whatever it takes to support African economies about to be hit by the coronavirus, writes Luca Jahier.
Spain finally sends 2030 climate plan to Brussels
The Spanish government has submitted its energy and climate plan for 2030 to the European Commission, three months after the deadline, while five EU countries, including France, still need to turn in their strategies.
Limitations of economic forecasting during coronavirus pandemic
Germany's economy has gone into artificial hibernation to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Initial forecasts suggest this will be expensive but opinions about the extent vary widely. In an interview with EURACTIV Germany, the head of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Marcel Fratzscher, explains the limitations of economic forecasts.
Sinkevicius: Commission’s measures bring relief to troubled EU fisheries
The new support mechanism for the temporary storage of fishery and aquaculture products for human consumption will foster greater market stability and reduce the risk of having such products wasted or redirected to non-human food purposes, Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius told EURACTIV.com
UN chief: Post-coronavirus world will be even more digital
The post-coronavirus world will be different and much more digital than before, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told EURACTIV's partner EuroEFE in an interview.
NATO tells top commander to speed up medical aid in response to pandemic
NATO foreign ministers on Thursday (2 April) tasked Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Tod Wolters, with coordinating the air transport of medical equipment and personnel to fight the “invisible enemy” of the coronavirus. “NATO was created to deal with...
Spain’s job market hammered by COVID-19
With more than 800,000 jobs lost in March, Spain’s labour market has suffered its worst month on record due to the coronavirus, the Spanish government said on Thursday (2 April). EURACTIV's partner EFE reports.
Being a doctor is quite a commitment, says MEP working on the ‘front line’
Some MEPs are getting personally involved in the fight against the coronavirus. EURACTIV France spoke to one of them, French centrist MEP Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, who is currently on the 'front lines' at a military hospital near Paris.
Commission to probe COVID-19 apps in Europe
The European Commission is monitoring the use of mobile applications used in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic to make sure that the bloc's "values and rules" are not being infringed upon, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Thursday (2 April).
Virus lockdowns put Europe’s invisible workers on front line
As the coronavirus outbreak confines millions of Europeans to their homes, others still show up every day to perform jobs too often undervalued -- from truck drivers and checkout clerks to security guards and street sweepers.
Innovation spurred by COVID-19 crisis highlights ‘potential of small-scale farmers’
the recent coronavirus outbreak has put an enormous strain on the EU whole agri-food sector and especially on small-scale producers. However, farmers have been rapidly innovating to create novel means of selling their produce to keep themselves afloat.
Netherlands, Austria push for tougher conditions for corona-loans
The Hague and Vienna are insisting on including stricter conditionality attached to loans for coronavirus-hit countries, toughening up the formula proposed by the eurozone’s bailout fund (ESM) and seen by EURACTIV.com.
Von der Leyen: EU budget should be the Marshall plan we lay out together
The EU's next long-term budget should be a key instrument in the recovery plan to confront the huge economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday (2 April).
German auto chiefs hold crisis call with Merkel
The bosses of BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen held a crisis call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday (1 April) to discuss how to get production restarted, according to Handelsblatt.
Debts can be returned unlike human lives, Tsipras says
Human lives do not come back unlike public debts which can be returned, former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wrote in an op-ed for Le Monde.
EU recommends keeping borders open as agri-labour conundrum looms large
Following concerns regarding a shortage of labour in the agri-food sector, the Commission has issued new practical advice to ensure that seasonal workers can travel to work in critical occupations.