European Union

Airlines, bus companies and train operators could be brought under public ownership by the UK government in order to preserve transport links during the coronavirus outbreak, a minister suggested on Tuesday (17 March).

Medical authorities in China have said a drug used in Japan to treat new strains of influenza appeared to be effective in coronavirus patients, the Guardian writes. Zhang Xinmin, an official at China's science and technology ministry, said favipiravir had produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients. "It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment," Zhang told reporters.

Malta announced on Wednesday that the country will stop all incoming passengers flights on Saturday, Reuters reported. Only cargo, humanitarian and repatriation flights will be allowed. As of 18 March, there are 38 cases of coronavirus and no fatalities registered in the Mediterranean island whose economy deeply depends on tourism. "Saturday will be a dark day for the local aviation industry," said Malta international airport CEO Alan Borg.

While the French have been raiding food stores in recent days, Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume assured on March 16 that “French farmers will continue to produce, our agri-food companies will be able to process agricultural products p to feed us.”...

Supermarkets in Germany will not close and there will be no problems with food production, says German Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner. Meanwhile, at the European level, officials are seeking ways to simplify cross-border food transports. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU Heads of State or Government held a videoconference on COVID-19 in order to follow up on previous conclusions of 10 March 2020, together with ECB President Lagarde and Eurogroup President Centeno.

Main agenda item, approximate timing and press opportunities.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday (17 March) discussed the migrant crisis and the situation in Syria's rebel enclave of Idlib, with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain.

Chinese Ambassador to Serbia, Chen Bo, informed Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Tuesday (17 March) that Beijing had approved a donation and decided to send experts to help Serbia fight the coronavirus pandemic. EURACTIV Serbia reports.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Italy urging EU member states to issue so-called 'Corona-bonds', PM Babiš apologising for the shortage of medical equipment in hospitals for the first time, and so much more.

The United Nations and nine countries on Tuesday (17 March) called on Libya's warring parties to cease hostilities to allow health authorities to fight against the new coronavirus.

ODIHR discontinues election activities in North Macedonia and Serbia due to COVID-19.  Election observation activities of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) “are being temporarily limited in some places, as countries around the OSCE region restrict...

The Croatian government has adopted 63 measures to prop up the economy throughout the coronavirus epidemic, while PM Andrej Plenković announced that further measures for the reduction of social contacts will be adopted in the foreseeable future. The main goal...

Former president and leader of the centre-right party For the People, Andrej Kiska, has announced that he will not assume his mandate as an MP, citing cardiac problems as the reason. But what will his future involvement within the party...

Czech media reported that general practitioners (GPs), dentists but also doctors in hospitals and other health care workers face severe lack of protective equipment despite the government’s claims that they have enough materials to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. While...

Military personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias, UME), the Army and the Marine Corps have deployed 1,820 troops in 28 Spanish cities on Tuesday (17 March) to disinfect facilities and prevent big crowds, as means to...

Telecom operator A1 started voluntarily providing the data of its users to the government, without them knowing. The telecom operator wanted to assist the government in monitoring the effectiveness of its measures which aim at keeping citizens at home. EURACTIV...

As the number of COVID-19 cases reached 8,757 on Tuesday (17 March), the German government rolled out two new plans to respond to the spread of virus, including plans to bring Germans stuck in foreign countries home and measures to...