During the plenary session, on Wednesday 16th December 2020, of the European Parliament in Brussels, Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC and Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council addressed some conclusions of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December 2020 related to Covid-19 and vaccines.

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

MICHEL, Charles (BE)

healthcare safety (T)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

Coronavirus outbreak (T)

European Council meeting 10-11 December 2020 (T)

vaccination strategy (T)

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December 2020: extracts from the statements by Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC and Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council on COVID-19 and vaccines

Title: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December 2020: extracts from the statements by Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC and Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council on COVID-19 and vaccines

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council, The global community has developed vaccines in record time. The EU has played a leading role in this venture, and its global success could also be a European success story.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Any recovery starts with overcoming this virus, and nobody should not think that we are out of the woods yet. Not when more than 3.000 Europeans die of COVID-19 every single day, or when infections and hospitalisations are still going up in some member states. But there is finally some good news, we have agency and we have hope.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, The Commission has negotiated the broadest portfolio of vaccine candidates and finally, within a week, the first vaccine will be authorised so that vaccinations can start immediately and more will follow in the New Year. And in total, we have bought more than enough doses for everyone in Europe and we will be able to support our neighbours and our partners around the world through COVAX. So that no one is left behind.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, To get to the end of the pandemic, we will need up to 70 percent of the population vaccinated. This is a huge task, a big task. So let's start as soon as possible with the vaccination together. As 27, with a start at the same day, as we've gone in unity through this pandemic. Let's start the eradication of this horrible virus together and united.

Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC and hemicyle (3 shots)