Video conference of foreign affairs ministers (development), 8 June 2020

Source: Council of the European Union (Council) i, published on Monday, June 8 2020.

Main results

The European Union demonstrates its leading role bringing global solutions to the coronavirus crisis. We are there for our partners. Now it is the moment to deliver on the Team Europe package swiftly.

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

EU development ministers held an informal meeting via videoconference to discuss the progress made in the implementation of the Team Europe package, which was launched on 8 April 2020 to support partner countries in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences.

Ministers welcomed the announcement that the amount mobilised by the Team Europe package now reaches almost 36 billion euro, including contributions from the European Commission, EU member sates, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

These resources will be used to provide support to EU's partner countries to address the pandemic, with a specific focus on: reinforcing health systems, facilitating socio-economic recovery, ensuring the flow of goods, and investing in research on treatments and vaccines.

The discussion also confirmed the adoption by the Council of conclusions on Team Europe Global Response to COVID-19.

Before the discussion, Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus briefed ministers on the role played by the WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic in ensuring global coordination and assistance to the most vulnerable countries.

Under current affairs, ministers were updated on the state of play of negotiations for a new EU-ACP partnership after 2020.

They were also informed about the future financial architecture for sustainable development and neighbourhood, which was proposed by the European Commission in the context of the next multiannual financial framework.

Meeting information

  • Meeting n°VC-FAM-080620
  • Brussels
  • 8 June 2020