Our latest news and views from Brussels looks at the response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Our latest news and views from Brussels looks at the response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Commission has presented guidelines to Member States on health-related border management measures aimed at maintaining supply in wake of the COVID-19 emergency.
The guidelines set out principles for an integrated approach to an effective border management to protect health while preserving the integrity of the internal market.
They include recommendation that Member States should facilitate the crossing of frontier workers, in particular but not only those working in the health care and food sector, and other essential services. It says free circulation of goods is crucial to maintain availability of goods. This is particularly crucial for essential goods such as food supplies including livestock,
No additional certifications should be imposed on goods legally circulating within the EU single market. According to the European Food Safety Authority, there is no evidence that food is a source or a transmission source of COVID-19.
President von der Leyen also announced setting up of a Corona Response Investment Initiative to grant support to the healthcare sector, to the labour market and to support SMEs from all affected sectors.
“This is an important economic package. But we have to acknowledge that the situation is evolving very fast. We stand ready to do more as the situation evolves,” she concluded.
Von der Leyen added: “Our measures to contain the Coronavirus outbreak will be effective only if we coordinate on the European level. We have to take exceptional measures to protect the health of our citizens. But let's make sure goods and essential services continue to flow in our internal market. This is the only way to prevent shortages of medical equipment or food. It's not only an economic issue: our single market is a key instrument of European solidarity. I am in discussion with all Member States so that we confront this challenge together, as a Union.”
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European industry representative bodies broadly welcomed the EU’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
However, in a joint statement, the FoodDrinkEurope, Copa and Cogeca, CELCAA warned they continue to face severe disruptions.
“Delays and disruption at country borders have been observed for the delivery of certain agricultural and manufactured products, as well as packaging materials. There is also concern over the movement of workers, notably due to certain border closures and travel restrictions, as well as potential labour shortages as staff follow national movement restrictions to mitigate the crisis.”
In one labour shortage example, it was warned that Moroccan workers contracted to harvest strawberries in the Spanish province of Helva might not reach the country before the end of the season.
The bodies are urging the Commission to work with Member States to explore ways to support the agrifood sector as it comes under immense financial pressure.
“Over the coming weeks and months, we urge the Commission to consider Europe’s 11 million farmers, 4.7 million manufacturing workers, 294,000 food and drink businesses (including 22,000 agri-cooperatives) and 35,000 trading companies,” the statement said.
“We urge the Commission to work with Member States to monitor the potential lack of workers (including seasonal workers) and the knock-on impact on production, and to prepare contingency plans. The food supply chain should be regarded as an essential sector in all EU Member States. - We urge the Commission to monitor the price of raw materials and transport as well as unfair trading practices.”
Image: iStock
The Commission says it is preparing the legal steps to allow Member States to extend by one month the deadline for farmers to submit their CAP’s application.
In a letter to EU agricultural ministers, Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, wrote: “I have asked my services to be ready to support you in case any other flexibility in relation to CAP’s implementation would be needed.
“The next Council meeting organised by the Presidency will provide us with the opportunity to update each other on the current needs in each Member State. Decisive and effective actions are needed to swiftly respond to this crisis and to alleviate the impact on our farmers and the entire food chain.”
He added: “It is clear that there will be serious economic impacts. President von der Leyen announced last Friday a very significant economic package to respond to the crisis. The lockdown in many Member States will cause extreme hardship in many sectors, including the agri-food sector.
“We will need to continue to work together and coordinate our actions in order to support the efforts of our farmers, agri-food industry and retailers to continue to secure the food supply chain. Flexibility and responsiveness will continue to guide us in the coming weeks.
Image: Droits d'auteur jenoche
European trade union organisation ETF is calling for EU support for fisherman effected by the coronavirus outbreak.
“Our members across Europe have reported that vessels, in particular the ones that fish near the coast and do not stay more than 72 hours at sea, have stopped fishing or expect to stop within the next few days. This is because nobody is buying their fresh fish, as restaurants and open markets are closed,” wrote ETF Acting General Secretary Livia Spera in a letter to Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.
“To safeguard livelihoods, support to fishermen for suspension of activity needs to be considered. Employed fishermen face the risk that fishing activities could start and then stop shortly again due the entry into force of the biological rest periods. As you know, most of employed fishermen are paid by a share of the catch, so a suspension of fishing activities means no income for workers.”
The letter added: “We call upon the European Commission to monitor the Member States’ use of these funds, which should be used to support employed fishermen income.”
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Trade talks between Britain and the EU have been delayed after Michel Barnier, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, tested positive for coronavirus.
Barnier was due to meet the UK’s negotiating team in London on Wednesday to continue talks on a deal to agree the future relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit.
Those talks were cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis, although draft legal texts for a post-Brexit trade and security treaties were still exchanged.
The UK government was insisting that that trade talks could be completed this year. But Barnier’s infection means that most of the key officials on the EU’s negotiating teams will be forced into isolation. The EU now sees an extension to the transition – which sees Britain remaining a full member of Europe’s single market and customs union despite its EU exit in January – as inevitable owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
The French former European Commissioner announced he would be isolating himself at home in France. He said: “I am doing well and in good spirits. I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team. For all those affected already, and for all those currently in isolation, we will get through this together.”
Image: iStock.com miluxian
