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EU leaders in Covid-19 talks as Merkel issues lockdown exit warning EU leaders in Covid-19 talks as Merkel issues lockdown exit warning
(32 minutes later)
Countries discuss Europe-wide recovery fund while German chancellor urges cautionCountries discuss Europe-wide recovery fund while German chancellor urges caution
Angela Merkel has said the coronavirus pandemic is “still at the beginning”, warning that the country risked rushing its exit from lockdown as divided EU leaders met in a crunch video-conference to agree a desperately needed Europe-wide recovery fund. Angela Merkel has said the coronavirus pandemic is “still at the beginning” and parts of Germany may be rushing their exit from lockdown, as divided EU leaders held a video-conference to try to agree a desperately needed Europe-wide recovery fund.
Worried that Germans were relaxing physical distancing efforts amid the reopening of smaller shops this week, the chancellor said Germany’s 16 states were moving too fast and the country remained “on the thinnest ice” despite its its early achievements. Worried that Germans were relaxing physical distancing efforts amid the reopening of smaller shops this week, the chancellor said some of Germany’s 16 states were moving too fast and the country remained “on the thinnest ice” despite its early achievements.
Germany has the fifth-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, but, mainly through early and extensive testing, has managed to keep its death toll down to just over 5,000, a far lower tally than many other countries. Germany has the fifth-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, but has managed to keep its death toll down to just over 5,000, a far lower tally than many other countries, mainly through early and extensive testing.
“It is precisely because the figures give rise to hope that I feel obliged to say that this interim result is fragile,” Merkel told parliament. “We are still far from out of the woods. We are not in the final phase of the pandemic, but still at the beginning.”“It is precisely because the figures give rise to hope that I feel obliged to say that this interim result is fragile,” Merkel told parliament. “We are still far from out of the woods. We are not in the final phase of the pandemic, but still at the beginning.”
Christian Drosten, the director of the Institute for Virology at Berlin’s Charité hospital, warned that reopening shopping malls and larger stores could trigger a second wave in May and June, saying the country risked “gambling away” its early advantage. Christian Drosten, the director of the Institute for Virology at Berlin’s Charité hospital, said reopening shopping malls and larger stores could trigger a second wave in May and June, and the country risked “gambling away” its early advantage.
With schools to reopen from 4 May and Merkel and state leaders due to meet again on 30 April to review how to proceed next, France said on Thursday that it hoped all retail outlets other than restaurants, bars and cafes could open from 11 May. Schools are due to reopen from 4 May and Merkel and state leaders are due to meet again on 30 April to review how to proceed next.
“We want all retailers to be able to open in the same way, out of fairness,” the finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, said. Bars and restaurants were unlikely to reopen for business before mid-June “because they are places of mixing”, he added. France said on Thursday that it hoped all retail outlets other than restaurants, bars and cafes could open from 11 May. “We want all retailers to be able to open in the same way, out of fairness,” said the finance minister, Bruno Le Maire. Bars and restaurants were unlikely to reopen before mid-June “because they are places of mixing”, he added.
Retailers will need to adopt strict rules limiting the number of people in their shops at one time, Le Maire said, and the hardest-hit regions, such as eastern France and greater Paris, might have to wait longer. Restrictions will also remain on travelling between some regions and older people’s movements may also be restricted. Retailers will need to adopt strict rules limiting the number of people in their shops at one time, Le Maire said, and the hardest-hit regions, such as eastern France and greater Paris, may have to wait longer for reopenings. Restrictions will also remain on travelling between some regions, and older people’s movements may also be restricted.
“After the lockdown, we will not live as we did before,” said the interior minister, Christophe Castaner. “Some regions are better off than others and we are working to adapt the post-lockdown to the realities of districts, communes and regions.”“After the lockdown, we will not live as we did before,” said the interior minister, Christophe Castaner. “Some regions are better off than others and we are working to adapt the post-lockdown to the realities of districts, communes and regions.”
Companies have been told they should encourage employees to continue working from home if they can to limit public transport, and France – which has suffered the world’s fourth highest death toll at more than 20,000 – aims to raise its testing programme to about 500,000 a week. Companies have been told they should encourage employees to continue working from home if they can to limit public transport, and the government aims to raise its testing programme to about 500,000 a week. France has the world’s fourth highest death toll, at more than 20,000
As EU leaders prepared to haggle over a gargantuan rescue package that has reignited a bitter north-south divide between member states, Merkel also said Germany was ready to make “significantly higher” EU budget contributions to help the bloc cope with fallout from the pandemic As EU leaders prepared to haggle over a rescue package that has reignited a bitter north-south divide between member states, Merkel also said Germany was ready to make “significantly higher” EU budget contributions to help the bloc cope with the fallout from the pandemic
She added, however, that calls from some EU countries for common debt with common liabilities were not the way to go. “That would be a very difficult process, cost time and wouldn’t even help anyone in the current situation, since we need rapid-fire instruments to tackle the crisis,” she said.She added, however, that calls from some EU countries for common debt with common liabilities were not the way to go. “That would be a very difficult process, cost time and wouldn’t even help anyone in the current situation, since we need rapid-fire instruments to tackle the crisis,” she said.
With the bloc standing on the brink of an economic slump unparalleled since the Great Depression of the 1930s, its 27 national leaders were set to debate a variety of trillion-euro proposals to resuscitate the EU’s €450m single market. With the bloc standing on the brink of an economic slump unparalleled since the Great Depression of the 1930s, its 27 national leaders were set to debate a variety of €1tn-plus proposals to resuscitate the single market.
Some European commission officials have suggested a €2 trillion plan combining loans and grants and an agreement on the EU’s next seven year budget. Spain wants a €1.5tn programme of grants for the worst-hit countries, funded by “perpetual” (ie non-maturing) bonds, while France wants a special fund outside the EU budget. Some European commission officials have suggested a €2tn plan combining loans and grants and an agreement on the EU’s next seven-year budget. Spain wants a €1.5tn programme of grants for the worst-hit countries, funded by “perpetual” (ie non-maturing) bonds, while France wants a special fund outside the EU budget.
But any big-spending plans are likely to face resistance from self-styled “frugal” member states, such as the Netherlands and Austria, who feel the EU has already taken big steps to stave off economic hardship, such as relaxing state aid rules and the European Central Bank’s €750bn bond-buying programme. But any big-spending plans are likely to face resistance from self-styled “frugal” member states such as the Netherlands and Austria, which feel the EU has already taken big steps to stave off economic hardship, such as by relaxing state aid rules and through the European Central Bank’s €750bn bond-buying programme.
Leaders are also expected to endorse a €540bn rescue package agreed earlier by finance ministers. Part of that agreement gives countries the right to borrow from the eurozone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism. But Italy is reluctant to turn to the fund while Spain has said it doesn’t need to. Leaders are expected to endorse a €540bn rescue package agreed earlier by finance ministers. Part of that agreement gives countries the right to borrow from the eurozone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism. But Italy is reluctant to turn to the fund, and Spain has said it has no need to do so.
They should also sign off on guidance from Brussels on lifting the lockdown, with three criteria for judging how and when member states should end restrictions: real decline in the spread of the disease, health system capacity, and availability of testing and tracing systems to monitor future outbreaks.They should also sign off on guidance from Brussels on lifting the lockdown, with three criteria for judging how and when member states should end restrictions: real decline in the spread of the disease, health system capacity, and availability of testing and tracing systems to monitor future outbreaks.
In other developments:In other developments:
Global infections passed 2.6m, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, with nearly 185,000 deaths.Global infections passed 2.6m, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, with nearly 185,000 deaths.
The number of new coronavirus cases fell in Russia for a second day and remained below record levels for four days, raising hopes the disease may have reached a plateau. The number of new coronavirus cases in Russia fell for a second day. The figure has remained below record levels for four days, raising hopes that the outbreak there may have reached a plateau.
Greece is extending coronavirus lockdown measures by a week to May 4, the government said. Greece is extending lockdown measures by a week, to 4 May.
Spain clarified that children 14 or under would be allowed out to walk and play in the streets for an hour a day from Sunday as long as they stay within a kilometre of their homes and are accompanied by an adult. Spain clarified that children aged 14 or under would be allowed out to walk and play in the streets for an hour a day from Sunday as long as they stay within a kilometre of their homes and are accompanied by an adult.
Vietnam eased social distancing measures, with experts pointing to a decisive response involving mass quarantines and expansive contact tracing for its success in recording just 268 cases and zero deaths. Vietnam eased physical distancing measures, with experts pointing to a decisive response involving mass quarantines and expansive contact tracing for its success in recording just 268 cases and zero deaths.
China said it would give another $30m to the World Health Organization, days after Washington said it would freeze funding. China said it would give another $30m to the World Health Organization, days after the US said it would freeze funding.