Comunicare

EU leaders convened in a video conference on 23 April to discuss plans for a recovery from the crisis. They agreed on the already discussed €540 billion package worked out by EU Finance Ministers and put forward the idea of a trillion-euro recovery fund. Crucial details on the size, its precise relation to the EU […]

On 3 April 2020, the European Commission published Decision C(2020) 2146 „on relief from import duties and VAT exemption on importation granted for goods needed to combat the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak during 2020”. The measure extends for instance to any kind of protective and medical equipment such as gloves, masks, glasses and ventilators […]

European Commissioner Thierry Breton (Internal Market and Industry) has been talking to various industries about their challenges and what the Commission should do to address them during the crisis and afterwards. Representatives of our sector, including our President, Thomas Nonn, and Board member Hans Carpels from Euronics, were invited to an exclusive video call on […]

On 27 March, Independent Retail Europe and EuroCommerce had sent a joint letter to Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič asking him to ease the regulatory burden for the retail sector by postponing new regulations and Commission consultations until after the crisis. Given the momentous challenge that the pandemic poses for the sector, members would otherwise be unable […]

Commission President von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel have presented the EU’s exit strategy for the current lockdown measures at a press conference on 15 April 2020. Von der Leyen stressed that a gradual, consolidated and coordinated approach was needed for an orderly exit. While the legal authority to lift measures continues to […]

In the evening of Thursday, 9 April, EU Finance Ministers reached an agreement in the Eurogroup format, launching a €540 billion package of measures to counter the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. The agreement did not follow the wishes of Italy and a group of other Member States that wanted to institutionalise ‘coronabonds’ – […]

In the previous edition of our COVID-19 update we had reported on a new waiver of duties and VAT on imports of goods, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Following frequent contacts with the European Commission, Independent Retail Europe has now received confirmation that the Decision can be applied to supermarkets when they import PPE for […]

On 3 April 2020, the European Commission published Decision C(2020) 2146 „on relief from import duties and VAT exemption on importation granted for goods needed to combat the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak during 2020”. The measure extends for instance to any kind of protective and medical equipment such as gloves, masks, glasses and ventilators […]