The EU stands ready to provide all necessary assistance to China, if it so wishes, and all necessary support to Member States to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. This was confirmed on Wednesday 29 January, following the meeting of the College of Commissioners which took stock of the situation (EUROPE 12413/16).
On Wednesday morning, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang to inform him of this offer of assistance.
“Public health is the responsibility of the Member States, but the EU coordinates. This is what we have done from the outset by mobilising the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)”, said Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides at a press conference.
“My priority remains to ensure that we provide all the necessary support to Member States to ensure sufficient preparedness and response to prevent the spread of the virus”, she said.
So far, eight cases have been confirmed: four in France and four in Germany, “but the situation is constantly evolving”, the Commissioner stressed. She indicated that she was in constant contact with the French and German Ministers of Health, who assured her that they had made all the necessary arrangements for these sick people. In addition, persons in contact with the infected persons are currently being traced.
“A Health Council should be convened as soon as possible under the aegis of the Croatian Presidency”, the Commissioner announced.
Asked by the press why, she replied that a meeting of the EU Council “will provide useful information, to find out how well prepared everyone is and to identify possible gaps to enable Member States to act proactively”. The date of this meeting is still unknown, as Croatia has changed its health minister, she conceded.
Citing uncertainties about the virulence and pathogenicity of the virus, for which there is “no treatment or vaccine”, she said that more knowledge would help to better target the coordinated response.
China provided epidemiological data. “Sharing information with China is crucial”, the Commissioner said.
The Commission is in regular contact with the Member States, the ECDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on all aspects of the coronavirus epidemic.
Regarding the voluntary repatriation of healthy European citizens from China, the French authorities, who activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on Tuesday, are in contact with the Chinese authorities to organise the flights, said Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič.
Nearly 600 people have indicated that they want to leave China, “but the numbers by country are changing”. The EU will co-finance 75% of the transport costs.
If China applies to the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism, it will be able to obtain the deployment of emergency medical teams. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)