• Salud.Angela Merkel warns that up to 70% of Germans will be infected by the coronavirus
  • Health. Last minute on the Covid-19

The European Commission will do everything in its power to try to get a coronavirus vaccine in the fall of this year . Experts and laboratories warn that the normal deadlines would imply a year or a year and a half, but President Ursula Von der Leyen has shown herself willing to expedite everything that is necessary to reduce the deadline to half a third. A statement that this afternoon caused surprise in the scientific community.

"We have spoken with the most prominent German company. That other countries want to buy it means that it is the one that is in the lead," said von der Leyen, referring to the purchase attempt by the United States that the EU has solved by giving 80 million. euros of financing for them to stay . "They are very specialized, their prediction is that perhaps they can have a vaccine by autumn. We want it to be European, to stay, it was important to give it the necessary funds," he said.

About the process, everything goes at the administrative level. " We are facing a very serious crisis , we can accelerate all the processes that usually take a long time because they are very bureaucratic. We have processes that are usually slow, difficult, but we have the means to accelerate them. If we focus on the essential, we have the necessary means to have a potential vaccine , which is of the utmost importance, "he said.

Bilateral meetings

European leaders will not face each other next week in Brussels. It seemed a logical step, obvious, but the difficulty of the European Council makes the telepathic solution clearly insufficient . When it comes to making decisions of the highest caliber, history shows that bilateral encounters, improvisation, rapid changes, and loud group negotiations are necessary. Communiqués are written where you can, with everyone trying to see the paper. And that, from a distance, seems difficult.

In any case, and after trying the teleconference option a second time, they will repeat once again to assess whether the measures adopted to date, at the community and national level, are sufficient or if much firmer steps must be taken, as everything does. foresee.

In today's talk, which has lasted more than three hours , all those present have endorsed the lukewarm conclusions of the Eurogroup on Monday (which did not agree on anything new and which the Commission itself had not previously presented). And they have also given the green light to the guidelines presented the day before by the Commission , which will mean the closure of European borders for 30 days. It is about coordination, because the decision is national, not community. "We have seen a lot of approval. None have refused, but we know that the United Kingdom is not planning to implement external controls, although it advises not to travel abroad to its citizens, " explained the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen.

Schengen

Thus, as it appears from his words, all EU members that are part of Schengen plus non-members who will also join the measure. Ireland and the UK will consider it. It is unclear when it will go into effect, however. "As fast as possible"; The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has indicated: " This is what we have asked of all those who have been in favor of these restrictive measures for non-essential travel."

The measure has an important derivative that brings its member states and the Foreign Action Service upside down. They estimate that there are two million out and it is not known how many want or will be able to return . There are hundreds of cases of problems, because being European is, for the first time probably, a real handicap in certain areas.

The last dimension is the interior. With the closure of the external borders for at least one month for all foreigners, with some exceptions, the Commission hoped to be able to convince those who in turn closed the internal borders to back down. But it won't be like that. At least for a good time.

"It will take a long time yet," admitted Von der Leyen regretfully. She believes that it is "of the utmost importance" to safeguard the internal market and fears the temporary and permanent effects. There is, for example, a big problem in Poland, which does not want to allow access to the Baltic citizens who traditionally pass through it. "

"We have had a good discussion about the problems on the borders , some specific. I have had several calls with the Polish Prime Minister and he has told the partners that they are working for a corridor for trucks and to give assistance to people who it's coming from the Baltic countries so they can use them I trust a change in the coming days, "he said.

Although there are border controls, all countries have accepted a priori the establishment of corridors , fast routes so as not to slow down or slow down the transport of goods. Medicines, food and everything necessary to keep production where possible.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Angela Merkel
  • European Union
  • Coronavirus

France Emmanuel Macron calls on the EU to strengthen border control

Coronavirus Europe facing its great challenge: resolution or irrelevance

GermanyAngela Merkel tightens restrictions: "The EU against the coronavirus is not working very well"