LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), March 20 (SeeNews) – The European Commission has decided to create a strategic stockpile of medical equipment with an initial budget of 50 million euro ($54 million) to help EU member states cope with the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it said.
“With the first ever common European reserve of emergency medical equipment we put EU solidarity into action,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a press release on Thursday.
The Commission will finance 90% of the cost of the stockpile, it said, adding that 40 million euro from the total initial budget is subject to the approval of the budgetary authorities.
The stock will include intensive care medical equipment such as ventilators, personal protective equipment such as reusable masks, vaccines and therapeutics as well as laboratory supplies. It will be used to support member states facing shortages of equipment needed to treat infected patients, protect health care workers and help slow the spread of the virus, commissioner for crisis management, Janez Lenarcic, said in the press release.
According to the Commission, the stockpile will be hosted by one or several EU member states, with the hosting state to be responsible for procuring the equipment.
Once the measure enters into law on March 20, the member state wishing to host stockpiles can apply for a direct grant from the European Commission. The direct grant will cover 90% of the costs of the stockpile while the remaining 10% will be borne by the member state.
Earlier this week, the European Investment Bank (EIB) said it has proposed a plan to mobilise up to 40 billion euro in support of European companies, health expenditure, and the EU economy following the rapid spread of coronavirus disease. The potential financing can be mobilised at short notice backed up by guarantees from the EIB Group and the EU budget, the EU lender said in a press release.
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