European Union

European Union leaders will hold another video conference on 26 March to discuss the impact of coronavirus, a top official said on Thursday (19 March), the same day the European Parliament plans to increase EU aid to the economy.

Brazil on Thursday (19 March) announced it was closing land borders and prohibiting entry to people from European and many Pacific Asian countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as Mexico and Peru reported their first virus deaths.

Beijing strongly condemned US President Donald Trump’s latest habit to call the coronavirus a “Chinese virus” and urged everyone to follow the science instead. At the same time, China has stepped up efforts to send equipment and experts to Europe, now the epicentre of the pandemic, in what AFP described as 'mask diplomacy'.

The Spanish government on Thursday (19 March) ordered the closure of all the country’s hotels and promised to implement special measures in nursing homes after a surge in the country’s coronavirus cases and deaths.

In Bulgaria, home to a large Roma population, the authorities are struggling to enforce the strict containment measures generally respected by the majority of the population. On top of that, many Bulgarian Roma are said to have returned from Western Europe in recent days.

Portugal has declared a state of emergency, closing all business that do not provide essential services, and saying the army could be used to force people to obey the new anti-pandemic measures. "There is no rationing in shops and no reason for there to be any" prime minister Antonio Costa said on TV. "That's what's important - to save lives, while ensuring that life continues," he added.

Brazil announced it was closing its borders during one month for Europeans starting on Monday, Le Soir reports. The measure targets the entire European Economic Area, which includes the EU and the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland, but also people from China, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia who are non-resident in Brazil and who do not have urgent reasons to enter the country.

The online streaming giant Netflix has pledged to lower the quality of its videos in a bid to reduce traffic on European networks by 25%. The aim is to preserve the smooth operation of the internet amid an increase in usage during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

In a press conference, UK prime minister Boris Johnson has raised the prospect of mass testing for coronavirus and social distancing allowing the UK to return to some form of normality by the summer, while stressing that tougher measures such as shutting down cities remained a possibility, the Guardian writes. The next 12 weeks could "turn the tide of this disease", Johnson said on the pandemic.

The US state department has asked all Americans overseas to return home where possible due to the coronavirus. Its "level 4" alert, covering the whole world, is normally reserved for conflict hotpots such as Afghanistan. The alert, published Thursday, warned US citizens not to rely on consular assistance as this may be limited due to staff departures. It warned people not to travel abroad "for an indefinite timeframe".

Ischgl, an Austrian ski resort, has achieved tragic international fame: hundreds of tourists are believed to have contracted the coronavirus there and taken it home with them. The Tyrolean state government is now facing serious criticism. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The EU executive wants to set up a reserve of cricial medical gear, which it would finance almost entirely. It could already be operational next week. There is a "scarcity" of such equipment globally.

The EU is preparing to open talks with North Macedonia and Albania next week after France and the Netherlands got what they wanted.

MEPs will vote via email on emergency legislation to help countries and companies in the wake of the spead of coronavirus. The plenary sessions are to held in Brussels until July instead of Strasbourg.

An EU naval operation set for launch in April off the Libyan coast may be derailed following objections by Austria and Hungary. Both want the power to end the mission should migrants be lured into being rescued.

There is no blueprint for this crisis and in view of the rise of populism, Germany may be lucky to have an experienced leader who can actually read and understand scientific briefings.

2020 was supposed to be the crunch year in the fightback against climate change. However, the coronavirus pandemic has flattened Europe and beyond, which is likely to slow down international negotiations to fight climate change

Viktor Orban's government was quick to blame an Iranian legally studying in Hungary as his country's first coronavirus case. In fact, it was a Hungarian woman, who probably caught it in Italy.

In cooperation with the Belgian foreign ministry, Brussels Airlines will use its planes to fly back 9,500 Belgians who are currently on holiday abroad in 14 different countries, luchtvaartniews.nl reports. The airline announced earlier it will keep all its planes on the ground from 21 March until 19 April. The repatriation is possible thanks to crew that volunteered for the operation.

The French government continues to announce stimulus spending, as well as support measures for companies, employees and the research sector worth billions to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis. Although necessary, those measures could send the country's budget deficit through the roof, EURACTIV France reports.