Roberta Metsola calls for urgent EU measures to tackle coronavirus

10.03.2020 12:31

Roberta Metsola calls for urgent EU measures to tackle coronavirus

Important notice
Views expressed here are the views of the national delegation and do not always reflect the views of the group as a whole
MEP Roberta Metsola
Translation
This content is also available in:

Adapt rules to face impact on health and economy

“We cannot allow scaremongering to cloud our judgement but we must be responsible. Disease knows no borders and we need to make sure European rules can respond to both the immediate health concerns and the impact on our economies and people’s livelihoods,” said Member of the European Parliament for Malta and Gozo Roberta Metsola.

MEP Metsola called for a multi-pronged approach with the protection of people’s health being topmost, she said “The EU’s response to the coronavirus is rightly top of its agenda, and we need coordinated action to ensure that European healthcare systems have all the resources they require to deal with the increased pressure. European Union solidarity mechanisms and funding must be made immediately available to the worst affected regions. We have to work together”.

The Head of the PN Delegation said that “we must be flexible enough to ensure that employers, employees, people working in the gig economy and, crucially, the self-employed can continue to work while minimising the risk to their health and that those unable to work, or who see a disproportionate impact, are supported. All options for tele-working need to be supported.”

MEP Metsola said “We know that many businesses big, small or micro - in Malta, Gozo and across Europe - will face difficulties because of the outbreak and we must ensure that they have access to emergency funds to recover, and to recover quickly. The impact on the economy will be more acutely felt in smaller tourism-dependent States like Malta and Gozo. We want a European stimulus package, increased EIB-supported loan facilities  to support our economies and the political understanding that Member States must be able to have the flexibility to adapt State aid rules, for a limited period of time, to support pillars of our economy and those businesses who need it the most.”

MEP Metsola also called for an EU-wide information campaign to fight disinformation and panic and to ensure citizens follow health authorities advice on how to minimise exposure and self-quarantine guidelines in an effort to stem the growth of the virus. “It is especially important that information reaches people with a disability - through the use of sign-language or subtitles on television for example - by the relevant authorities. We can beat this if we work together and everyone takes their responsibilities seriously.”

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 187 Members from all EU Member States

Other related content