Today, the European Parliament is debating and voting on urgent EU measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, including support for health care systems and financial assistance for the member states most affected by the current crisis. It is the first European Parliament plenary session to use remote voting.

Speaking on behalf of the ECR Group, Dutch MEP Derk Jan Eppink said:

‘The ECR Group welcomes the emergency package of around 40 billion from current funds in the EU-budget.

‘The Commission should radically restructure the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, which is still under negotiation. Money assigned to climate policy has to be mobilised to address the Corona pandemic.

‘We need to put pragmatism first. Companies and people urgently need cash.’