On Monday 30 March, the European Commission qualified the figures provided by Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President for Inter-Institutional Relations, during the plenary debate on the coronavirus health crisis. “They were just samples from the companies that were interviewed a few weeks before”, said Sonya Gospodinova, a spokeswoman for the institution.
In his speech to the European Parliament on 26 March, Maroš Šefčovič indicated that Europe would need 200 million masks, 30 million respiratory masks, and 15,000 respirators per week for the next three months (see EUROPE 12455/2). He had indicated that these estimates had been discussed by the College of Commissioners.
Asked by the press to give more details on these estimates, Sonya Gospodinova underlined that the figures are not representative. On one hand, because these figures are based only on information provided by the companies consulted and, on the other hand, because since then these companies have increased their production and have been joined by others, which have sometimes redirected their production, she explained. The spokeswoman also pointed out that new import channels had been opened and joint purchasing procedures had been launched. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)