A little late, a little less, but here they are – Fidesz-KDNP MEPs supported the European Parliament legislative decisions on assistance to Member States in combating the new coronavirus epidemic

Press release by the Fidesz-KDNP Delegation to the European Parliament

At the April plenary session of the European Parliament, MEPs voted on legislative proposals on budgetary, regional development, medical device regulation, and fisheries and aquacultural issues as well as the legislative proposals amending the rules of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) to help member states fight the new coronavirus epidemic. All legislative proposals were supported by the Fidesz-KDNP Delegation to the European Parliament.

The European Parliament has decided on regional development proposals that will temporarily allow the funding of projects 100% from the EU’s Structural Funds for 2020-21. In the case of unused resources, there will be scope for flexible reallocation between funds and regions, and administrative burdens will also be reduced.

EUR 2.7 billion from the EU budget’s reserves will be used in a financial fund called the Emergency Support Instrument. The budget resource can be used, among other things, for the acquisition of equipment related to the coronavirus epidemic, the establishment of temporary hospitals, and drug development.

The Fidesz-KDNP Delegation also supported postponing the deadline by one year for the application of the regulation governing the use of and trade in medical devices, which would impose several new administrative obligations.

The European Commission has additionally proposed changes to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to help European fisheries and the aquaculture sector. By using the resources of the fund, the proposed amendments also create an opportunity for Hungary to directly support the actors in this sector in the form of compensatory allowances.

The regulations of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) have also been amended under an emergency procedure so that in addition to food and basic financial support, it will also cover epidemic protection equipment, with temporary funding covered 100% by the EU. The European Parliament’s decisions to assist the Member States have been taken with considerable delay, and the measures represent only a modest contribution to the Member States’ efforts to combat the epidemic. “But if we can save a single human life with these measures, we will support them with all our might,” summed up today’s vote MEP Tamás Deutsch, Head of the Fidesz-KDNP Delegation to the European Parliament