EPP Group calls for a single European app in fight against Corona pandemic

“In the fight against COVID-19, we need a true European approach to the analysis of health data and in particular to the tracing of infection chains via mobility data. Therefore, a single European app, which is in line with our data protection standards, is crucial. We must minimise the risk of fragmentation, as these apps will be used across the EU as soon as the European borders are open again”, stated Axel Voss MEP, the EPP Group’s Spokesman on Legal Affairs. Several EU states are currently developing tracing apps, as are US tech giants Google and Apple. “Europe must take the leadership in this”, Voss said.

The technical possibilities to collect data anonymously and in accordance with existing EU data protection laws are already available via the Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) project. “Data protection is a central aspect in the use of tracing apps, which is why EU standards must be adhered to in any case. At the same time, we must ensure that the data is collected only for the purpose of fighting the virus, recorded anonymously and used for a time period limited to the Corona crisis", Voss explained.

Furthermore, the EPP Group calls for a joint evaluation of the collected data at European level. “This would greatly simplify the analysis of national measures taken in the fight against the virus and enable common exit strategies for the whole EU. This is the only way we can act in solidarity and reopen our borders as soon as possible”, Voss concluded.