Europe’s answer to the corona crisis: more solidarity, less bureaucracy
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“More solidarity and less bureaucracy. This is the answer that the European Union should and will give to the corona crisis”, this is the assessment of the health spokesperson of the biggest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian democrats) Dr. Peter Liese. Liese expressed his gratitude to all the people that fight against the corona crisis and treat patients. He explained that patients from the most affected countries, for example France and Italy, are now finally also treated abroad, for example in Germany. “When my group approved a resolution two weeks ago, and even last week when this resolution became public, many people did not believe that member states would really be ready to help, but I am very happy that it is now really working. Also material such as ventilation machines are sent from other European countries to the most affected ones and the European Commission is establishing a crisis mechanism so that the ventilation machines can be used always where the largest need is”, explained Liese. He also expressed confidence that many obstacles which unfortunately hinder the fight against the crisis will be abolished already this week. “All the funds that are available should be focused on fighting the crisis now. This will be approved by the European Parliament in an extraordinary meeting already on Thursday. Most of us are not meeting physically, but we are doing a remote session and also remote voting. We want to be a good example because a strong advice from scientists is that meetings should be avoided whenever possible”, expressed Liese.
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Corona in the EU
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Peter Liese: in times of crisis different rules must apply / closing of borders justified / important to take care that necessary goods and people who work in crucial areas can still travel / implementation of medical device Regulation should be stopped immediately / big concern about the situation in the UK / Johnson is not taking the issue serious / transition period for the Brexit should immediately be extended
“In times of the corona crisis, different rules must apply. Many the rules that we approved for normal times are of course no longer justified in these difficult times. I very much support that the Commission took this approach when presenting a package of measures today. As an MEP of course I do not like border controls, but health is most important. That is why I think the measures of member states are acceptable. However, member states and the Commission need to take care that crucial goods like pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food can still pass the borders as well as people that work in important areas”, this is the reaction of the spokesperson for health of the biggest political group, Dr. Peter Liese on the COVID-19 guidelines that have been presented by the Commission this morning.
Liese insisted that the implementation of the new medical device Regulation needs to be stopped in some important points. “It is important that medical devices for example ventilation machines are properly working, but some of the measures that have been adopted with the new medical device regulation are over-bureaucratic anyhow. That is why we need to have a flexible implementation now”, says Liese.
Corona crisis in Europe
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Finally European solidarity is working - We Europeans stand together
The corona crisis continues to have Europe firmly in its grip. Now European solidarity starts to work. Various Member States are, for example, supplying ventilators to Italy, which has been hardest hit by the crisis. Germany is even taking over patients from France, where the crisis is coming to a head. MEP Dr. Peter Liese, EPP spokesperson for health explained. "I am glad that European solidarity is now also working and that our group's proposal is being put into practice. The peak of the crisis will hit the Member States with a time lag and when other countries reach the peak of the crisis, these countries will be grateful if they too can feel the effects of European solidarity. That is what distinguishes us Europeans. We stand together in difficult times and help each other", said Liese.
Solidarity, cooperation and exchange
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EPP group adopts resolution on Coronavirus outbreak / Support for more staff and more competences of the ECDC / Best possible cooperation to develop therapy and vaccine
The biggest political group in the European Parliament (EPP – Christian Democrats) urgently demands more cooperation in the fight against the Coronavirus crisis. "The virus does not respect borders, that is why our response should be much more European", MEP Peter Liese, EPP health spokesperson said. The group agreed on a resolution, even though the Parliament is not having any vote this week, because many members, especially from Italy and members that are at risk to have severe consequences in case of an infection cannot be present in Brussels. "We want to send a clear signal to the public, but also to our friends in the European Commission and in the member states", Liese said. The EPP group expresses its solidarity to all patients and relatives of people that have died and acknowledges respect to the medical staff that does its best to fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.