Corona Recovery Fund, travel and tourism, apps and vaccines

Demanding a strong role in Europe’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the EPP Group threatened to veto the EU’s long-term budget plan unless the European Parliament plays a key role in designing the Recovery Fund. At the latest plenary, the EPP Group also pressed for common EU standards in re-opening Europe’s internal borders and getting travel and tourism back on track. This includes common guidelines for contact-tracing apps. The Group called for a strong EU and global effort to develop a Coronavirus vaccine and pushed for a Plan B if a non-EU country blocks access to a vaccine. This could include forced licensing or trade sanctions.