Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the first medical equipment from the rescEU strategic reserve - coronavirus protection masks - was delivered to Italy on Saturday 25 April, the European Commission announced the same day.
This equipment reserve was set up in March to help Member States struggling to cope with the pandemic with their own resources to fill their shortfall.
The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, welcomed the fact that it was operational "in just one month". Other deliveries will follow "in the next few days" for other Member States as well, he assured. These are masks and respirators.
The rescEU reserve is 100% financed by the EU budget.
Romania was the first EU Member State to apply to order equipment and host the stock. So the masks were shipped from Romania to Italy.
It was the lack of an initial response to Italy's request for assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism that prompted the Commission to set up this rescEU medical equipment reserve.
In the meantime, Italy had been able to benefit from the deployment of the European medical corps (see EUROPE 12463/5). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)