ENVI coordinators work to step up EU response to COVID-19
ENVI Coordinators have been permanently seized since the last ordinary ENVI meeting of 5 March. Coordinators have held weekly conference calls with Health and Food Safety Commissioner Kyriakides and have also exchanged with Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management as well as ECDC Director Dr Ammon.
On behalf of Coordinators, ENVI Chair Pascal Canfin has written to the Croatian Council Presidency calling for ECDC staff to be reinforced as a matter of urgency to be in a position to respond to the current and emerging threats. In a separate letter, Canfin also urged Council and Member States to do more to share medical support, not just in kind, but also in personnel and to use the EU coordination mechanisms to ensure that those countries which still have capacities put them to the service of those which risk being overwhelmed by the virus.