Following talks with pharmaceutical producers AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson, the European Commission has also concluded exploratory talks with CureVac and Moderna to purchase a potential vaccine against COVID-19. The Commission will have a contractual framework in place for the initial purchase of up to 300 million doses on behalf of all EU Member States, to be supplied once a vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19 (Source: DeHavilland).
Following consultations with the Member States that have requested support, the European Commission has presented proposals to the Council for decisions to grant financial support of €81,4 billion to 15 Member States under the SURE furlough instrument. Once the Council approves these proposals, the financial support will be provided in the form of loans granted on favourable terms from the EU to Member States. SURE can provide financial support of up to €100 billion in total to all Member States.
Under the State Aid Temporary Framework, the Commission has most recently approved:
- a Bavarian fund to enable up to €46 billion of liquidity and capital support to enterprises in Bavaria in the context of the coronavirus outbreak;
- a €97 million Czech scheme to support companies affected by coronavirus outbreak;
- a €50 million Irish scheme to support beef sector affected by coronavirus outbreak;
- a UK subordinated loan scheme of up to approximately €16 million to support Scottish businesses affected by coronavirus outbreak.