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rescEU stockpile
rescEU is the first ever common European reserve of emergency medical equipment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical equipment part of the stockpile will include items such as:
- intensive care medical equipment such as ventilators
- personal protective equipment such as reusable masks
- vaccines and therapeutics
- laboratory supplies
How the rescEU stockpile works?
The stockpile will be hosted by one or several Member States. The hosting State will be responsible for procuring the equipment. The Commission will finance 90% of the stockpile. The Emergency Response Coordination Centre will manage the distribution of the equipment to ensure it goes where it is needed most. The initial EU budget of the stockpile is €50 million, of which €40 million is subject to the approval of the budgetary authorities.
President Ursula von der Leyen said:
With the first ever common European reserve of emergency medical equipment we put EU solidarity into action. It will benefit all our Member States and all our citizens. Helping one another is the only way forward.
Emergency Response Coordination Centre
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) is the heart of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and coordinates the delivery of assistance to disaster stricken countries. The centre ensures the rapid deployment of emergency support and acts as a coordination hub between all EU Member States and the 6 additional Participating States, the affected country, and civil protection and humanitarian experts. The centre operates 24/7 and can help any country inside or outside the EU affected by a major disaster upon request from the national authorities or a UN body.