A crisis measures to keep its economy going as it combats the coronavirus pandemic now in a few moments well hear from a European Commission president was not funded line and the executive Vice President s father some pro skates and margaret have a stay here they are due to speak in brussels in a few moments and with the disease spreading throughout the e. U. Theyre expected to offer funds to prop up Vulnerable Industries will also allow countries to break deficit spending rules as they battle the virus and that is something that italy the worst hit country has already said it will do the European Union will also offer cheap loans to Companies Hit by the outbreak as customers stay away. Right we have our team of correspondents on the story with us here in studio we have had offers from d. W. Business our Political Correspondent nina and also standing by for us in brussels our correspondent there and recruit good to have you all of us with all with us and theyre going to start with you there in brussels just 1st of all youre not at our studios there in brussels so tell us where you are and what the situation is like there. The budget the belgian government yesterday announced new strict measures to contain the virus. On the rooftop of my private bowe thing actually because the government asked people not to go to work to stay at home office and to avoid the public transport and things like that schools us open but theyre going to close on monday was restrooms everything were closed on every culture weve been very closed on tonight at midnight and its kind of an italian style looked on in a lot of version ok bear in there and brussels and were going to go right to the press conference because it looks like its getting underway Commission President was a lot on the line speaking now. Institutions governments. Economies but the coronavirus pandemic is most of all testing people. This is not only an unprecedented challenges to our Health Care Systems but also a major shock to our economies i am from vince that the European Union can withstand this shock. But each Member States needs to live up to its full responsibility and the European Union as a whole needs to be determined or united already made to it and to unite. In a pandemic scientific based guidance is essential to help plot the best course of action. Yes study together with commission as the actual yet tedious i launched a board of outstanding scientists by role or just epidemiology is to assess the ongoing situation and help us develop the most Effective Response of responses our goal is to develop guidelines and evidence based strategies to deal with the spread of the virus we are just at the beginning. Every member state even those who have very low numbers to date all of us have to know and to understand this is not possible to stop the violence but it is possible and of at most important to slow down the spread of the virus that is doable and youve seen many measures like schools and universities are being closed events are cancelled we just slowed down the public life this shouldnt give our Health Care Systems our nurses and our doctors the intensive care units the time and the space they need to cope with the surge of new patients as the virus spreads on. The commission is also taking all necessary steps to ensure an adequate supply of protective equipment across Europe Commission of a tourism close contact with the producers of such equipment we assess the stocks. We were comes jailing up their capacity rapidly. And here i want to be very clear the single mark 100 of markets has to function it is not good when Member States take unilateral action because it always causes a domino effect and that prevents the urgently needed equipment from we ching the patients from reaching hospitals and the medical personnel and ultimately it amounts to reintroducing internal borders at a time when saudi dairy t. Between Member States is needed on this matter i have been in very close contact with germany with france and with other Member States and im happy to report that they are willing to adopt their National Measures as we requested. In the last few hours weve seen travel bans and controls being put in place in a number of Member States. Of course we all want to protect our citizens from the spread of the virus. So lets look to gather at how we can do that and how we can do it most effectively. Certain controls may be justified but general travel bans are not seen as being the most effective by the World Health Organization more and more of a Strong Social and Economic Impact they just rough peoples lives and businesses across the borders in other words any measure that is taken must be for for shit. What we can do and what we should do is to carry out Health Screening measures these can be taken at external borders or they can be taken an internal borders and as well with in the territory of the Member States. And this is why we propose to have even guidelines for Health Screening at the Borders Commission on your hands and the president these to day to the ministers the justice and home affairs council. Just once again in general for any measure to be effective they need to be coordinated at a human level. Member states specially neighboring ones need to work very closely together in this way and thats the only way we can make sure that our citizens receive the health care that they need immediately where ever they are at the moment. This was strongly the health part i want to turn to the economic sector. We all know that the virus is not only dangerous for our health but it is also hitting our economies it is a major shock for the global and fall the european economy and we have to take decisive and bold actions now and this on all Different Levels the shock is temporary but we must Work Together to ensure that it is as short and as limited as possible. And it does not create permanent damage to our economies and therefore. Member states should be encouraged and they should feel comfortable to take all the necessary measures to support the most affected sectors for example to resume for example transport or retail just to name some and they should be encouraged and they should feel comfortable to take all the necessary measures they need to support people for example through short time work schemes or other effective measures for this to happen that is giving the Member States reassurance we at the european level are providing mat cmon flexibility flexibility on state and executive Vice President that. Will present this in detail and flexibility with in the stability and growth pact executive Vice President biden brocks will tell you more about this in a moment. In this moment flexible e. U. State aid rules enable states Member States to take swift action to support companies and citizens for example yesterday the Commission Approved with in hours the 1st request coming from denmark to compensate companies for cancellation of events with a large number of participants the serious disturbance to the Italian Economy created by the coronavirus will lead the commission to also rising why the drain just self stated aid measures to remedy this situation. Alongside these overarching macroeconomic measures the commission has also adopted today proposals to provide liquidity into our economy. Were setting up a 37000000000 euros carona response investment initiative. To grant support to the healthcare sector to the labor market to support as enemies from all affected sectors. Furthermore the new budget will deploy its existing instruments to support small and Medium Enterprises wistfully quiddity complementing thus the measures taken at a National Level give us some examples the European Invest Fund will guarantee for example 8000000000 europes euros in loans 4100000 s. M. S. And small mid caps or as you already know the commissions proposal to enable airlines to keep their airport slots even if they do not operate flights in those slots because of the climbing traffic this temporary measure will help both our education industry and environment it will help decrease emissions by avoiding the socalled ghost flights when Airlines Flight almost empty planes simply to keep their slots of. The measures announced today deal with the situation of today this is an important economic package but we have to acknowledge that the situation is evolving very fast we stand ready to do more as the situation evolves. We will do what ever it is necessary to support the europeans and the european economy. The miserables will be hes on to the honesty hes got us beyond that i seem to assume a delusional delusional. Sissy at the bucket economic dont mean to go viral a look connecticut as he tries show evil people new some a failed. New phone to suki unnecessary to fukin elizabeth beyond economy ilithyia in. The heights of the mosque hugging muslims and sushmita of to act when is it what you and does is vish biggest paki films i will pay should go check. And i hear not the music a lot of fun in that shit in vietnam fight me have to to give an honest one time in the oval. When the lp chevelle chopped to shreds. I think you know shes this innocent thank you very much. The outbreak of the convict 19 i should just had our president say it affects every one of us because it 19 i should just heard our president say it affects every one of us so our goal together is true Work Together to bring all of europes resources to tackle this unprecedented situation. It is both lives and livelihoods that are at stake businesses all over europe and in particular smaller ones struggling with the effects of the actions that governments have perhaps to take to slow down the spreads of the virus. So the commission will work quickly and decisively to help government use resources to help citizens and businesses. Oh goal is here to make sure that businesses have the equipment to they needs to keep operating and to make sure that the support reaches the companies that needs it. And support for businesses in one member state mustnt undermine the unity that europe needs. A unity that all take us through the crisis. We have to be able to rely on the european Single Markets to help our economies whether this outbreak and to bounce back strongly afterwards. Many Member States taking action. We will work closely and quickly with them to provide the support which the economy needs and in a way that limits home to the Single Market a part of thats we will give advice and we will share templates of the schemes that works well. There are many ways that governments can help without needing state approval they can give all businesses throughout the economy a breathing space to help them cope providing wage subsidies suspending Corporate Tax payments or the payment of v. A. P. But we will need to do more. And the european rules on state aid they enables governments to take effective action. To name just 3 examples on how to compensate for it damages and to provide liquidity for companies. First in some sectors that the tourism transport Hotels Restaurants while they are hit especially hard so we are working with governments to put in place schemes that compensate sectors for the damages they have suffered because of the complete 1900 outbreak wednesday received the 1st notification of state to talk of the effects of the covert 19 outbreak the dangerous government submitted its plans to compensate companies that had to cancel events with more than a 1000 people and we signed off with those plans within 24 hours and we will work just as fost with any other Member States that want to introduce schemes that compensate businesses for the damages with sick over it 19 outbreak courses of course governments can also help individuals directly this just meet state accrual either. For instance it may be that they want to reimburse people for tickets to cancel events. The 2nd example is that our senate rules and able governments to put in space teams that gives small and Medium Sized Companies the urgent equip city that they need. Already in 9 Member States have that sort of scheme in place and we will work with others who would like to do the same or to increase the budgets of existing schemes by 3rd example has to do with the banks because our economy is ability to weather such an unprecedented situation will also depend on banks and their readiness to meant. And some governments may want to use banks as a channel for support of the economy including small and medium sized businesses and we will work with governments on this today more than a decade decayed after the financial crisis european banks they are stronger and more recently and if need be in the coming weeks and months we do have the rules in place to enable governments to ensure that banks have adequate liquidity to lend to their customers situation were dealing with changing cost theres every possibility theres a high risk that the strain on our economy will grow and that governments may need to give state at a much larger scale and our rules allow for rights ranging support throughout the economy in Member States that i face in serious disturbances of their economy. This are already set to stay in this press room this is the case in its i mean and this iteration in more and more Member States is going in the same direction. So were keeping a very close watch on the situation in all Member States and staying in close contact with governments and we are ready to respond as we did in 2008 at the time of the financial crisis at that time the commission at ducted a temporary framework guiding Member States as to how to use state to help stabilize the european economy while protecting the Single Markets and we are now working on a new framework so that we have a direction if it becomes necessary. What matters right now is that we have good pets to move fos and this is why we have put in place all the procedures that we need to deal with newsday date very cost and that includes a hotline that is open 7 days a week for public authorities to raise questions to ask for advice to us for 8 templates in order to give aid to cope with the effects of the covert 1000 outbreak the European Commission will continue to provide the necessary support to governments amounts of citizens thank you that you will. Use all of the productivity. We commend Member States will take encourages and fought aging measures when things are slow motion. And we also need full sold out pete was results affect at all and europe we are all in together. And we know all of this Health Emergency will have a significant Economic Impact. Our job is also to make sure that we respond in a most effective way possible to support people and cornum of. Our economy so fundamentally solid and robust enough to withstand them for a show. We also tools at our disposal we will use and fully and result is it patient to step in step as a situation as if the roles. One hotel produce today is to make sure that our companies also if we do need. The jobs and incomes of the worker suffer. So the plies brutally the 1st countries of those trade and of course the all of the countrys means that you. As a publisher will support contraries that you will see for flexibility in the stability and growth sparked at these times of need this will also countries to implement urgent measures need to put on things that break and mitigate its negative social and Economic Impact. So unusual events schools can accommodate exceptional spain spending to contain the virus all break this includes expenditure on a leaf measures for businesses and workers. Companies can cut immediate containment measures to provide medical equipment increase Hospital Capacity still Protection Measures and information come from its spending can also be that that the walk through winding supports the workers and the self employed and the companies that are most affected especially if for me say in effect or such as tourism transport the special education retail and guttering. The Commission Stance that i need to actively is that in general if laws to accommodate a more general fiscal full solution for. Just flow through in a corporation is a Council Suspends a fiscal a just meant recommended by the council in case of a severe economic downturn in the euro area or e. U. As a whole. In addition to the Health Effects of the business it will deploy 1000000000. 00 euro itself e. U. Budget got on t. V. To provide up to 8000000000. 00 euros in liquidity to at least 100. 00 and face and this of it could affect the companies that will also be able to bill is a payment on the existing loans. Today calling owns a European Investment bank and say you have been bank of it construction and Development Story focuses a piece on to take immediate measures to support european businesses. Finally it is essential that banks continue providing liquidity to as economy so that European Central bank announced to us that the measures that will support banks lending to companies affect is a must for those the white house and provide immediate liquidity to the system. Banking supervisors and Cottage National for at the store make full use of a little flexibility as i can provide significant capital or leave but the banks to support the economy well yes these are challenging times but by a taking is that right steps we will accomplish we are all in just a guess or and we will act in our common european interest thank you. Thank you very much more take some questions and then the instance will fill in for me. And if i get and they didnt come to it i get an exact if brussels and if i got the president an indoor chief i may. Propose it in d. Will most likely it will not cover a goodish to see to name one but could and could do to give the. Muffin then they should go foggy tough on through Digital Media to expect us to hug a voice and us to. Export the sprinkling im allies or stops on constantine. Yes all right and weve just been listening in there to a press conference led by a European Commission president was about fundal line and she was joined by executive Vice President s there Valdis Dombrovskis and my bit of a stay yes and we heard it was left on the line there saying that the e. U. Can withstand this shock but the Member States have to take responsibility and have to act in a coordinated and united way we have heard nida and bear and with us who are listening in to that press conference and ill start with you a lot was said if we pick through what was said what stood out to you. Commission president from the line said this is just the beginning so we have to drag on for weeks and even months maybe with this situation and this is of course a very challenging situation for europe the commission of a takes 37000000000 euros as a 1st fund to reimburse companies who suffer from this coronaviruses and also to beef up the supply of medical equipment and 7 or 8000000000 euros a year mark for Small Companies like shops in italy or restaurants it is the which are suffering right now and shes she has she appealed to full coded nation because many Member States are just doing what they want now in this crisis everybody is his own 1st and she also said no border closures for goods and people some border checks and Health Checks can be introduced but please keep open the borders it doesnt make sense now to close the borders because the virus is already. In europe and she also announced and also her colleagues announced to open the floodgates for refining refining saying the state they can now make more debt they can get more loans on the market to cope with the coronavirus the socalled stability pact is very flexible now so that means that italy can lend more money and this is what italy especially ox for all right nina lets pick up on what ben was just saying there it sounded almost at a point like a definite i was admonishing Member States to say remember we have to act in a cordon a good way this is the only way that we will make it through this crisis what do you think she was getting at there well of course weve seen as ben was saying that people are looking at their own population at their own citizens at their own photos fast and of course they want to look politicians. In this crisis want to look as though theyre in charge and they have taken matters into their own hands its only put the whole country under lockdown australias issue travel bans and is not letting people in on al borders germany has borders with 9 countries and lots of countries already saying germans are no longer welcome and so this is not helping bringing Forward Research for example we still dont have a vaccine and its vital for all those expats to extent to have exchanges there are doctors who live in one country and walk in the other and this is something that was left on the line has appealed to the Member States about that please remember that we are stronger together ok well that political aspect was one pillar of that press conference. The economic aspect was certainly the biggest pillar that we heard there a few various measures announced take us through what stood out to you there well the most important part is even though they havent really said it very precisely but its basically theyre throwing the 3 percent rule out of the window they theres a rule that. Budget deficits context see 3 percent of the g. D. P. Of Member States that is a very strict rule that has been cancelled a couple of times before people one has been lenient with with regulation but that seems to be out of the window at least for now thats. One thing also the state of. Your opinion has very very strict rules. In how far National Governments are allowed to aid to then National Economies companies in the National Economies it has to do of course with competition rules. To keep a level Playing Field thats what the the Single Market is all about is one of the fundamental principles. In the e. U. Now they say they give maximum freedom to flex ability. To. Governments to support industries as they see fit in their countries so thats thats pretty pathetic a pretty wide ranging set of measures already in additional to the money that actually they have put aside 37000000000 emergency funds the loans actually full Health Services and small and medium sized businesses and. It. Also interestingly after allans as well that they mentioned allens that they will be able to keep the slots. Even if they dont use them meaning the slots at airports are landing and impartial slots also one little bit to help the European Airline industry on the european level interesting also what they said about banks that came sort of very kind of hidden away and that