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EU Cohesion policy: Almost €385.5 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to 19 countries to tackle the coronavirus health emergency

The Commission completed the payments of the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) assistance to tackle the coronavirus health emergency to 19 countries for a total amount of almost €385.5 million. This comes in addition to €132.7 million paid in 2020 to the Member States that requested an EUSF advance payment. 17 Member States and 3 candidate countries had requested the EUSF support: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and Spain; Albania, Montenegro and Serbia. 

In the context of the COVID-19 health emergency, the financial support of the EUSF finances the medical assistance, the purchase and administration of vaccines, personal protective equipment and medical devices, costs of healthcare, laboratory analyses, emergency support to the population and measures of prevention, monitoring and control of the spread of disease, thus safeguarding the public health.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, yesterday said:

The European Union stood together against the coronavirus pandemic and made a proof of solidarity in a difficult moment. The EUSF is a clear symbol of this, giving a helping hand to countries to cope with the unprecedented health emergency, both to EU Member States and countries in the process of joining the EU.

Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, added:

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been standing by our partners in the Western Balkans. I am pleased that Albania, Montenegro and Serbia have been able to take advantage of the EUSF support. This is yet another demonstration of the EU's commitment to support the region in the fight against the coronavirus, where possible with access to the same assistance mechanisms as those for our Member States.”

Among the candidate countries that had requested EUSF support, Albania and Montenegro have received financial support at the end of 2021, while for Serbia the signature of the Delegation Agreement is ongoing, and the EUSF financial assistance is expected to be paid out soon after.

Click here for the full press release

 

Original article link: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_395

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