The European Commission has submitted proposals to the EU Council for solutions to provide financial support in the amount of 81.4 billion euros to 15 Member States under the SURE instrument.
“We must do everything in our power to save jobs and livelihoods,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
As stated on the Commission, SURE is an essential element of the EU's comprehensive strategy to protect citizens and mitigate the dire socio-economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. It is one of three social safety nets agreed by the European Council to protect workers, businesses and the bloc.
Once the EU Council approves these proposals, financial support will be provided in the form of loans to member states. These loans will help them cope with the sudden increase in government spending to maintain employment. In particular, they will help Member States meet the costs directly related to funding the national measures they have taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic, in particular for the self-employed.
After consulting with Members that have requested support and evaluating their requests, the Commission invites the Council to approve the provision of financial support:
