Speaking after a video conference with the leaders of the 27 EU member states, von der Leiena called on these countries to share data on the pandemic, as “good money exchange requires a good exchange of information”.
EU leaders have heard calls for greater coordination in their responses to the pandemic that is once again hitting Europe in a second wave, rapidly surpassing the initial disaster in March and April.
They were urged not to close their borders to each other and to work together to share best practices for controlling the virus and prepare for the possible distribution of the vaccine.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told EU leaders that “a coordinated European approach is essential to combat the pandemic”.
“Especially for Germany as a country in the middle of Europe, it is important that the borders remain open, that there is a functioning economic cycle and that we fight the pandemic together,” Merkel said.
Von der Leien, a pre-German epidemiologist, said “mass testing” would be important in overcoming the crisis and called on Member States to adopt common standards for rapid antigen testing.
An informal videoconference hosted by European Council President Charles Michel could become a semi-regular forum for EU leaders in the coming months to coordinate the response to the pandemic.
EU on-site summits have been postponed to prevent high official exposure to Covid-19 and the further spread of the virus, as the pandemic has hit Belgium hard, especially Brussels.
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