The efforts to maintain an unobstructed flow of goods should be reinforced!

The containment measures against coronavirus pandemic, and their gradual relaxation, affect negatively not only public health but also the union’s internal market including the highly integrated value chains, as well as the systems necessary to enable the free movement of people, goods and services. Thierry Breton Commissioner for Internal Market at the exchange of views of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) highlighted: internal border controls must be abolished in a coordinated manner, a European approach is needed as soon as the epidemiological situation allows it. Fidesz MEP Edina Tóth said that it is indispensable to make union-level plans for the phase when Member States can restart economic and social activities while minimizing any impact on people’s health and does not overburden the operation of the internal market.

MEP Edina Tóth stressed that de-escalating from the COVID-19-imposed measures in a coordinated manner is a matter of common European interest, “the spread of the virus cannot be contained within borders” – added. Fidesz MEP stressed that it is important to keep in mind the integrated nature of the Single Market when lifting the protective measures. “While the timing and specific modalities will differ between Member States, it is essential that there is a common framework” – the EPP politician stressed.

According to the Commissioner, the lack of coordination in lifting the restrictive measures could lead to dangerous consequences, and in order to eliminate them the Commission has set out a European roadmap for phasing out these measures. put forward an exit strategy. In her speech, Edina Tóth stressed: managing successfully the gradual lifting of the existing confinement measures requires a combination of accompanyied measures. MEP Tóth raised the point that vital products are not reaching their destinations or arriving with significant delay to Europe. Competition between Member States and international partners have led to increased prices, and this sad fact also highlights the importance of coordination to ensure adequate supplies across the EU too.

Fidesz MEP emphasized that general measures of the Commission should be progressively replaced by targeted ones. Border reopening should appropriately happen in a second stage by taking into account the spread of the virus outside the EU, and of the dangers of reintroduction of the virus in the EU. “In the transition phase, the efforts to maintain an unobstructed flow of goods and to secure supply chains should be absolutely reinforced” – Edina Tóth closed her intervention.