The European Union (EU) adopted a scheme to restrict the export of medical protective equipment and secure the supply within the bloc, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sunday.
Medical goods including masks, gloves, protective garments can only be sold to non-EU countries with the explicit authorization of the EU governments, she said in a video statement. “We need to keep in the EU the protective equipment we need.”
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The export authorization scheme was coupled with an appeal for sharing the necessary supply among the 27 EU members. “National bans on selling protective equipment to other member states are not good,” said von der Leyen.
The members need to help each other as no single country can produce all it needs on its own, stressed the chief of the EU’s executive arm, adding
“Today it is Italy that rapidly needs large quantities of medical goods, but in a few weeks, other countries will need it too.”
Italy has reported over 20,000 infections of the COVID-19, with 1,809 deaths, now the most affected country in the world other than China.
The novel coronavirus has crossed borders and infected thousands more in other EU countries, triggering border closures by some members like Denmark.
In Sunday’s message, von der Leyen also urged the member states to keep their borders open so that medical supply and life necessities can flow within the Single Market.
“Just imagine as we increase production of medical equipment, factories cannot get the components they need in time,” she said.
Von der Leyen said the EU will launch joint public procurement with member states for testing kits and respiratory ventilator on Monday, and will present guidelines to national governments on border measures.