The EU delivered a consignment of protective equipment that was donated by China to support local efforts against the spread of coronavirus. The EU redirected two million surgical masks, 200,000 N95 masks and 50,000 testing kits to Italy following an agreement in March between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
The EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, thanked the Chinese government for its support and called for greater collaboration: “We need each other’s support in times of need. The EU and China have been working together since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.”
In February, the EU had sent 56 tonnes of supplies including protective gear and medical masks to China where the outbreak for spreading fast. The effort was coordinated by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism with the participation of France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Estonia, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism coordinates the delivery of assistance such as relief items, expertise, civil protection teams and specialised equipment to disaster stricken countries, both within and outside EU borders.
In a statement, the European Commission said that the EU has put international cooperation at the forefront of its response to the coronavirus.
