European Commissioners Stella Kyriakides (working on Health, Food and Safety), Helena Dalli (working on Equality) and Nicolas Schmit (working on Jobs ans Social Rights) have sent a joint letter to relevant Ministers in all Member States outlining the most pressing issues that need to be addressed with regard to the challanges of the COVID-19 crisis and explaining the support offered by the Commission to Member States to cushion the economic blow and protect people’s livelihoods.
The document starts by briefly explaining what are the main risks for fragile groups such as senior citizens, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, LGBTI persons, Roma communities, migrants and homeless people. It then goes on to give a short description of EU funds and tools available at the disposal of national authorities to take the measures they deem fit to counteract the negative effects of the pandemic. These include the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII), Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) Plus, European Social Fund (ESF), Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) Programme, and the Justice Programme.
You can read the full text of the letter here.