The EC Allocates €3.8 Billion to the Western Balkans and the EU's Eastern and Southern Neighbors

This is part of the European Union's strategy for a global pandemic response

EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said today that the European Commission is allocating € 3.8 billion to the Western Balkans and its EU east and south neighbors to help fight the coronavirus, according to BGNES.

This is part of the European Union's strategy for a global pandemic response, announced yesterday by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Layen. She said on Tuesday that it is crucial that the European Union be prepared to assist third countries in this fight, especially on the African continent.

"As part of our global response to the coronavirus pandemic we are redirecting over €3.8 billion of foreseen funds for the Western Balkans and our immediate neighbours to the East and to the South, to where their real needs are today: for urgent response to the health crisis, to strengthen the health systems and to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the pandemic. We share a continent and we can only succeed together." Várhelyi said.

The Team Europe package aims to help all EU global partners around the world through EU Member States and financial institutions, in particular the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

"The European Union will continue to adapt its response to the evolving situation and focus on the most affected countries in need of health support, such as countries in Africa, the Neighbourhood, the Western Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa, parts of Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. The EU's response will focus on the most vulnerable people, including migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons and their host communities and...