Lifting COVID-19 containment measures — roadmap

KEY POINTS

The roadmap:

• Emphasises that transparency, clear, timely public communication and constant dialogue with business and trade unions are important.
• Sets out 3 criteria for assessing the lockdown:
  • epidemiology: data showing spread of the disease has significantly decreased and stabilised for a sustained period;
  • sufficient health system capacity: to deal both with the virus and other medical demands;
  • appropriate monitoring capacity: to conduct large-scale testing to quickly detect and stem the spread of the virus.
• Provides 3 guiding principles for a coordinated relaxing of COVID-19 measures, while allowing national timing and specifics to differ:
  • any action must be based on science;
  • coordination of existing national measures and prior notification of any measures;
  • respect and solidarity between all EU countries.
• Specifies measures for gradual phasing-out of confinement:
  • gathering data and developing a robust system, sharing information in a harmonised way;
  • creating a framework for contact tracing and warning with use of voluntary mobile apps;
  • expanding testing capacities and harmonising methodologies;
  • increasing the capacities and resilience of healthcare systems;
  • continuing to reinforce medical and personal protective equipment capacities;
  • creating a safe and effective vaccine with fast track authorisation and availability;
  • developing safe and effective treatments and medicines, in particular by testing drugs currently used for other diseases and conditions.
• Presents recommendations to gradually end lockdown:
  • sufficient time for lifting any measure in different stages, possibly 1 month;
  • progressively replace general measures by specific ones, for example longer protection for most vulnerable groups or quarantine for people diagnosed with the virus or with symptoms;
  • first lifting measures locally before gradually extending more widely;
  • gradual opening of EU internal and external borders;
  • new safety requirements for the re-start of economic activity to allow businesses to adjust, for example, encouraging teleworking;
  • specific safety conditions for group gatherings, e.g. smaller classes and different times for meals in schools and universities;
  • awareness campaigns on strong hygiene practices to prevent the virus spreading by social distancing and use of facemasks in public.
• Identifies areas for future input by the European Commission, in particular:
  • guidelines on different COVID-19 tests;
  • EU network of COVID-19 reference laboratories;
  • removing bans or restrictions on exports within the EU, especially of medical equipment;
  • consistent use of antitrust rules allowing companies to cooperate to remedy shortages of goods and services;
  • streamlining marketing authorisation for new vaccines;
  • advice on restoring transport services and on free movement of people;
  • rapid alert system for supply and value chains;
  • monitoring national measures;
  • cooperation with national governments to discuss financing initiatives under the Emergency Support Instrument (see Regulation (EU) 2020/521).
• Lists areas where the Commission has already responded to the crisis:
  • easing state aid rules for national public spending to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the virus (COM(2020) 112 final and COM(2020) 143 final);
  • Regulation (EU) 2016/369 (see summary) to set up the Emergency Support Instrument, supporting healthcare systems;
  • Recommendation (EU) 2020/518 on a common EU toolbox for the use of apps on social distancing;
  • guidelines on EU emergency assistance on cross-border cooperation in healthcare.