COVID-19 is a severe public health emergency for our citizens, societies and economies with infections in all Member States. It is also a major economic shock to the EU. The Commission therefore presents today an immediate response to mitigate the socio-economic impact of  the COVID-19 outbreak, centred on a European coordinated response. The Commission will use all the instruments at its disposal to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic, in particular: • To ensure the necessary supplies to our health systems...

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Heads of State and Government welcomed the initiative to hold this video conference on COVID-19. Member states expressed sympathy with Italy and other member states that are severely hit. During the video conference on 10 March 2020 we emphasised the need to work together and to do everything necessary and to act swiftly. We stressed the need for a joint European approach and a close coordination with the European Commission. Health ministers and Interior ministers should consult daily to ensure proper...

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European Green Deal The Council had an exchange of views on the European Green Deal.  Environment and climate ministers worked on the concrete steps needed to be taken so that the EU reaches its climate neutrality objective by 2050. Ministers discussed priority areas, encouraged a more resource efficient economy, and voiced out support for a just transition to climate neutrality. EU's climate long-term strategy submission to the UN The Council adopted the EU's submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on...

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Following the publication of a €10 million call in January, the Commission has secured an additional €37.5 million for urgently needed research on COVID-19 vaccine development, treatment and diagnostics. This action is part of the coordinated EU response to the public health threat of COVID-19. With the additional amount from the Horizon 2020 programme, the Commission is scaling up the emergency call launched in January to fight the COVID-19 outbreak to €47.5 million. This allowed to select 17 projects involving 136 research teams from across the...

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Keynote speech by President Charles Michel at the Centre for European Policy Studies Thank you for the warm welcome. It’s a special pleasure to be here with you this afternoon and I am delighted that it has been possible for this event to go ahead. I have full confidence in the Belgian authorities in this kind of situation. CEPS is doing great work, work which is above all very helpful in the efforts to regularly let fresh air into the world...

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