#Coronavirus - A timeline of EU action

The EU mobilizes more than €3 billion from its budget to distribute medical supplies, coordinate transportation of equipment and patients and support the construction of mobile hospitals. In the longer term, the funds will support testing capacities and research.

In order to get medical equipment from non-EU countries more easily, customs duties and VAT on imports are temporarily waived.

The EU is creating a strategic stockpile of ventilators, reusable masks, laboratory supplies and therapeutics (“rescEU”) to help member states facing shortages.

European harmonized standards for medical supplies (such as facemasks, protective clothing, respiratory protective devices) are made freely available to facilitate increased production.

A panel of seven epidemiologists and virologists from different member states formulates science-based EU response guidelines and coordinates risk management measures.

Exports of personal protective equipment (such as masks, face shields, protective garments) to countries outside the EU must be authorized.

EU countries join forces under the joint procurement agreement to purchase protective equipment (such as gloves, masks, overalls), ventilators and testing kits.

Up to €90m will be available within the framework of the Innovative Medicines Initiative, a partnership between the EU and the pharmaceutical industry, to support projects on developing treatments and diagnostics (up to €45m from the EU budget).

€164m is allocated to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator pilot programme to support start-ups and small firms in developing technology that could help tackle the pandemic.

The EU provides up to €80m to CureVac, an innovative vaccine developer in Germany, to support the development and production of a vaccine against the coronavirus.

The EU allocates €48.25m to 18 research projects involving 151 teams under the Horizon 2020 programme to develop vaccines, new treatments, rapid diagnostic tests and improve the preparedness and response to outbreaks.

New measures will allow EU countries to transfer resources between the three main cohesion funds (the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund), between the different categories of regions and between the funds’ specific priority areas.

In a resolution, MEPs call for a massive recovery package to support the European economy after the Covid-19 crisis, including recovery bonds guaranteed by the EU budget, and an EU Coronavirus Solidarity Fund of at least €50bn.

The European Investment Bank creates a €25bn guarantee fund mobilising up to €200bn to help the European economy on top of €40bn already mobilized.

The European Commission and the European Council present guidance and recommendations for member states when lifting confinement measures.

Keeping in mind the strong impact of the crisis on small and medium-sized enterprises, the EU unlockes around €8bn in finance for European firms.

€37bn from EU structural funds are made available for the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative to support healthcare systems, small and medium- sized enterprises and labour markets.

To allow member states to undertake exceptional spending to deal with the crisis, the EU makes its budgetary rules more flexible.

EU  countries can flexibly apply state aid rules to ensure that sufficient liquidity remains available to businesses of all types and to preserve the continuity of economic activity.

The European Central Bank launches a temporary asset purchase programme of private and public sector securities of €750bn, in addition to €120bn already mobilized for the pandemic emergency.

EU countries get up to €100bn for loans on favourable terms, to allow companies to keep their employees and reduce working hours while providing income support.

To lower the risk of infection, delivery of food aid and basic material assistance via the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived will be possible through electronic or paper vouchers, while protective equipment for workers and volunteers provided.

The EU introduces more flexibility in funding agriculture, fishing and aquaculture to help affected industries cope with the impact of COVID-19.

The EU Solidarity Fund’s scope is extended to cover public health emergencies, making €800m available in 2020 for member states hit hardest by the pandemic.

The EU asks Netflix, Facebook and YouTube to reduce streaming quality to avoid overloading the web.

EU rules on airport slots that obliged airlines to use their planned take-off and landing slots to keep them next season are temporarily suspended.

The EU installs "green lane" border crossings to secure the supply of essential goods and vital medical and protective equipment within the single market.

The EU temporarily closes its borders for non-essential travel, to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Tens of thousands of EU citizens are brought home from non-European countries around the world thanks to the Civil Protection Mechanism.