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The heads of thirteen member parties of the [[European People's Party]] (EPP) made a proposal to expunge the Hungarian [[Fidesz]] for the new legislation on 2 April. In response, Viktor Orbán expressed his willingness to discuss any issues relating to Fidesz's membership "once the pandemic is over" in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of EPP [[Antonio López-Istúriz White]]. Referring to the thirteen leading politicians' proposal, Orbán also stated that "I can hardly imagine that any of us having time for fantasies about the intentions of other countries. This seems to be a costly luxury these days."<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/orban_nincs_idom_most_erre_neppart_kizaras/ |title=Orbán a Néppártnak: Most nincs időm erre! |date=3 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404045745/https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/orban_nincs_idom_most_erre_neppart_kizaras/ |archive-date=4 April 2020}}</ref> During a video conference of the foreign ministers of the European Union member states on 3 April 2020, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, [[Péter Szijjártó]], asked for the other ministers to read the legislation itself not its politically motivated presentations in newspapers before commenting on it.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/szijjarto_jogallamisag_kulugyminiszterek_koronavirus_jarvany_vedekezes |title=Szijjártó looked virtually into the eyes of his critics |date=3 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404033955/https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/szijjarto_jogallamisag_kulugyminiszterek_koronavirus_jarvany_vedekezes |archive-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>
The heads of thirteen member parties of the [[European People's Party]] (EPP) made a proposal to expunge the Hungarian [[Fidesz]] for the new legislation on 2 April. In response, Viktor Orbán expressed his willingness to discuss any issues relating to Fidesz's membership "once the pandemic is over" in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of EPP [[Antonio López-Istúriz White]]. Referring to the thirteen leading politicians' proposal, Orbán also stated that "I can hardly imagine that any of us having time for fantasies about the intentions of other countries. This seems to be a costly luxury these days."<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/orban_nincs_idom_most_erre_neppart_kizaras/ |title=Orbán a Néppártnak: Most nincs időm erre! |date=3 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404045745/https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/orban_nincs_idom_most_erre_neppart_kizaras/ |archive-date=4 April 2020}}</ref> During a video conference of the foreign ministers of the European Union member states on 3 April 2020, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, [[Péter Szijjártó]], asked for the other ministers to read the legislation itself not its politically motivated presentations in newspapers before commenting on it.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/szijjarto_jogallamisag_kulugyminiszterek_koronavirus_jarvany_vedekezes |title=Szijjártó looked virtually into the eyes of his critics |date=3 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404033955/https://index.hu/kulfold/eurologus/2020/04/03/szijjarto_jogallamisag_kulugyminiszterek_koronavirus_jarvany_vedekezes |archive-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>


== Consequences of the lock-downs ==
== Change in consumption and external trade ==
{{unsourced|section|date=May 2020}}
{{unsourced|section|date=May 2020}}
{{Graph:Chart
{{Graph:Chart

Revision as of 22:07, 19 May 2020

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European citizens in a 15 March video message
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on European Union institutions, especially in the areas of finance, civil liberties, and relations between member states.

As of 17 May 2020, there have been 1,311,066 confirmed cases and 156,676 deaths reported in the EU/EEA and the UK[1].

European Commission coordination

See also: von der Leyen Commission

Under the European Union subsidiarity principle, the European Union does not have the legal powers to impose health management policy or actions, such as quarantine measures or closing schools, on member states.[2]

On 21 January 2020, the Platform for European Preparedness Against (Re-)emerging Epidemics (PREPARE) activated its outbreak response "mode 1".[3]

On 28 February 2020, the European Commission opened a tender process for the purpose of purchasing COVID-19 related medical equipment. Twenty member states submitted requests for purchases. A second round procedure was opened on 17 March, for the purchase of gloves, goggles, face protectors, surgical masks and clothing. Poland was among the member states that applied for the second round tender procedure. The European Commission claimed that all the purchases were satisfied by offers. Commissioner Thierry Breton described the procedure as illustrating the power of EU coordination.[2] On 19 March, the EU Commission announced the creation of the rescEU strategic stockpile of medical equipment, to be financed at the level of 90% by the Commission, to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

European agencies

The ECDC is the EU agency for disease prevention and control.

It is involved in providing information and risk assessment for the COVID-19 disease, for the European Union, and possibly during the Brexit transition period for the UK.

During a two days meeting, three days before the crisis starts in Italia, various countries had various views, but Germany has yet distributed PCR to 20 hospital and performed 1000 tests and Italy observed the starvation of the EPI world market. Austria and Slovakia do not want to make people afraid.[5]

European Central Bank response

On 18 March, the European Central Bank (ECB), headed by Christine Lagarde, announced the purchase of an additional €750 billion of European corporate and government bonds for the year.[6] Lagarde urged the national governments of the member states to seriously consider a one-off joint debt issue of coronabonds.[7][8]

By early April the ECB announced its intention to push back strategy review from a late 2020 target to the middle of 2021.[9]

Former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi stated that member states should absorb coronavirus losses, rather than the private sector. He compared the impact of coronavirus to World War I.[7]

Coronabonds controversy

Main article: Coronabonds
National positions on coronabonds
  Yes/In favour
  No/Against
  Neutral or unknown position

The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that "If we don't propose now a unified, powerful and effective response to this economic crisis, not only the impact will be tougher, but its effects will last longer and we will be putting at risk the entire European project", while the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte commented that "the whole European project risks losing its raison d'être in the eyes of our own citizens".[10]

Debates over how to respond to the epidemic and its economic fallout have opened up a rift between Northern and Southern European member states, reminiscent of debates over the 2010s European debt crisis.[11] Nine EU countries—Italy, France, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Luxembourg—called for "corona bonds" (a type of eurobond) in order to help their countries to recover from the epidemic, on 25 March. Their letter stated, "The case for such a common instrument is strong, since we are all facing a symmetric external shock."[12][13] Northern European countries such as Germany, Austria, Finland, and the Netherlands oppose the issuing of joint debt, fearing that they would have to pay it back in the event of a default. Instead, they propose that countries should apply for loans from the European Stability Mechanism.[14][15] Corona bonds were discussed on 26 March 2020 in a European Council meeting, which was three hours longer than expected due to the "emotional" reactions of the prime ministers of Spain and Italy.[16][7] Unlike the European debt crisis—partly caused by the affected countries—southern European countries did not cause the coronavirus pandemic, therefore eliminating the appeal to national responsibility.[14]

Intergovernmental reaction to health crisis

From 4 to 19 March, Germany banned the export of personal protective equipment,[17][18] and France also restricted exports of medical equipment, drawing criticism from EU officials who called for solidarity.[19] Many Schengen Area countries closed their borders to stem the spread of the virus.[20]

A videoconference was held by the members of the European Council on 10 March, in which President Charles Michel presented four priority areas which the leaders had identified:[21]

  • limiting the spread of the virus
  • the provision of medical equipment, with a particular focus on masks and respirators
  • promoting research, including research into a vaccine
  • tackling socio-economic consequences.

At a second videoconference on 17 March, a fifth area was added:[22]

  • helping citizens stranded in third countries.

At the 17 March videoconference, leaders also agreed to place temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the European Union for a period of 30 days.[22]

At their third videoconference on 26 March, Council members vowed to urgently increase capacities for testing for coronavirus infections, in view of WHO recommendations.[23]

On 9 April, finance ministers from the 19 Eurozone countries agreed to provide €240 billion in bailout funds to health systems, €200 billion in credit guarantees for the European Investment Bank, and €100 billion for workers who have lost wages.[24] At their fourth videoconference held on 23 April, the European Council endorsed the plan, and called for the package to be operational by 1 June 2020.[25] On the same occasion, the Council also tasked the European Commission with taking steps towards the establishment of a recovery fund, the size of which was expected to be at least around €1 trillion. Modalities of the latter fund were still disputed by member states, with France, Italy and Spain leading demands for grants to stricken economies, and Germany strongly favouring loans.[25][26]

Hungary emergency legislation

Sixteen member nations of the European Union issued a statement warning that certain emergency measures issued by countries during the coronavirus pandemic could undermine the principles of rule of law and democracy on 1 April. They announced that they "support the European Commission initiative to monitor the emergency measures and their application to ensure the fundamental values of the Union are upheld."[27] The statement does not mention Hungary, but observers believe that it implicitly refers to a Hungarian law granting plenary power to the Hungarian Government during the coronavirus pandemic. The following day, the Hungarian Government joined the statement.[28][29]

The Hungarian parliament passed the law granting plenary power to the Government by qualified majority, 137 to 53 votes in favour, on 30 March 2020. After promulgating the law, the President of Hungary, János Áder, announced that he had concluded that the time frame of the Government's authorisation would be definite and its scope would be limited.[30][31][32][33] Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated that she was concerned about the Hungarian emergency measures and that it should be limited to what is necessary and Minister of State Michael Roth suggested that economic sanctions should be used against Hungary.[34][35]

The heads of thirteen member parties of the European People's Party (EPP) made a proposal to expunge the Hungarian Fidesz for the new legislation on 2 April. In response, Viktor Orbán expressed his willingness to discuss any issues relating to Fidesz's membership "once the pandemic is over" in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of EPP Antonio López-Istúriz White. Referring to the thirteen leading politicians' proposal, Orbán also stated that "I can hardly imagine that any of us having time for fantasies about the intentions of other countries. This seems to be a costly luxury these days."[36] During a video conference of the foreign ministers of the European Union member states on 3 April 2020, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, asked for the other ministers to read the legislation itself not its politically motivated presentations in newspapers before commenting on it.[37]

Consequences of the lock-downs

Trade with the 5 main partners


See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea
  2. ^ a b Pańkowska, Maria (26 March 2020). "Szumowski krytykuje UE: 'Nie ma tej europejskiej solidarności'. To wielopiętrowy fałsz". OKO.press. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020. Bo jak byśmy czekali na inne kraje, na Europę, na świat, to byśmy się obudzili bez środków, a dookoła wszyscy by te środki sobie zakupili ... Żeby była jasność, to nie jest tak, że my ten sprzęt mamy w Europie, że są jego nieograniczone ilości. ... Bo niestety tutaj centralne zakupy zawiodły, nie ma tej europejskiej solidarności.
  3. ^ Tidey, Alice (21 January 2020). "Coronavirus: How is the EU preparing for an outbreak, and why screening may be futile". Euronews. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. ^ "COVID-19: Commission creates first ever rescEU stockpile of medical equipment". European Commission. 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  5. ^ https://elpais.com/sociedad/2020-05-18/los-guardianes-de-la-salud-europea-subestimaron-el-peligro-del-virus.html
  6. ^ Jones, Erik (8 April 2020). "Old Divisions Threaten Europe's Economic Response to the Coronavirus". Foreign Affairs.
  7. ^ a b c "What are 'corona bonds' and how can they help revive the EU's economy?". euronews. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Germans and Dutch set to block EU 'corona bonds' at video summit". Euractiv. 26 March 2020.
  9. ^ Goldstein, Steve (2 April 2020). "ECB pushes back strategy review". Marketwatch.
  10. ^ "EU will lose its 'raison d'etre' if it fails to help during COVID-19 crisis, Italy's PM warns". 28 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Johnson, Keith. "Fighting Pandemic, Europe Divides Again Along North and South Lines". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  12. ^ Amaro, Silvia (25 March 2020). "Nine European countries say it is time for 'corona bonds' as virus death toll rises". CNBC. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  13. ^ "The EU can't agree on how to help Italy and Spain pay for coronavirus relief". CNN. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Italy's future is in German hands". POLITICO. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  15. ^ Bayer, Lili (1 April 2020). "EU response to corona crisis 'poor,' says senior Greek official". POLITICO. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Virtual summit, real acrimony: EU leaders clash over 'corona bonds'". POLITICO. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Germany bans export of medical protection gear due to coronavirus". Reuters. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  18. ^ "Germany lifts export ban on medical equipment over coronavirus". Reuters. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  19. ^ Tsang, Amie (7 March 2020). "E.U. Seeks Solidarity as Nations Restrict Medical Exports". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Coronavirus Is a Critical Test for the European Union". Time. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  21. ^ "Video conference of the members of the European Council, 10 March 2020". Council of the European Union. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  22. ^ a b "Video conference of the members of the European Council, 17 March 2020". Council of the European Union. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  23. ^ "Video conference of the members of the European Council, 26 March 2020". Council of the European Union. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  24. ^ Eurogroup Strikes Half-Trillion Euro Deal to Help Members Cope with COVID-19
  25. ^ a b "Conclusions of the President of the European Council following the video conference of the members of the European Council, 23 April 2020". Council of the European Union. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  26. ^ Fleming, Sam; Khan, Mehreen; Brunsden, Jim; Chazan, Guy (23 March 2020). "Germany throws weight behind massive EU recovery fund". ft.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  27. ^ "Statement by Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden". 1 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Trolldiplomácia a maximumon: A magyar kormány is csatlakozott a jogállamiságot védő európai nyilatkozathoz". 2 April 2020.
  29. ^ "A magyar kormány is csatlakozott ahhoz a kiálláshoz, ami kimondatlanul ugyan, de ellene szól". 2 April 2020.
  30. ^ "Megvolt a kétharmad, a kormánypárti többség megszavazta a felhatalmazási törvényt". 30 March 2020.
  31. ^ "A Fidesz-kétharmad elfogadta a felhatalmazási törvényt". 30 March 2020.
  32. ^ "Megszavazta az Országgyűlés a koronavírus-törvényt, Áder pedig ki is hirdette". 30 March 2020.
  33. ^ "Áder János már alá is írta a felhatalmazási törvényt". 30 March 2020.
  34. ^ "EU executive chief concerned Hungary emergency measures go too far". 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020.
  35. ^ "EU sanctions over Hungary's virus measures should be considered, German official says". 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020.
  36. ^ "Orbán a Néppártnak: Most nincs időm erre!". 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020.
  37. ^ "Szijjártó looked virtually into the eyes of his critics". 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020.
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