Corona Crisis - Stop reacting, start leading!

We need an EU response to this challenge! We need coordinated action plans! We need solidarity! Everyone can contribute to slow down the spread and the effects of the virus. We all have a role to play, but particularly to all political leaders in the EU: Stop reacting, start leading! What we need is decisive, calm and coordinated action in the European Union! To save lives and keep our economy going! 

We need more proactive action plans that address two points that are difficult to reconcile, but are of course connected: 1. Keep our people safe and healthy, and 2. Keep our economy as strong as we can.

1. Keep our people safe 

First priority is keeping everyone safe. We need to flatten the curve. We need to

- avoid crowds, work from home if we can, even if we are not high risk, send our employees home wherever possible - this is true leadership!

- wash our hands constantly, disinfect our office space, factories and other public spaces. Hygiene is key!

- support the vulnerable, bring them food and medicine, support our neighbors.

I also think we need much more testing and the capacity of intensive care units in hospitals must be dramatically increased, new makeshift hospitals must be built, protective suits and masks must be produced, but I leave this to experts to discuss.

2. Keep our economy going

We need to try to keep business afloat, particularly vulnerable self-employed and small businesses.

• We need to take measures to save companies and banks from bankruptcy so that they can get back on track once the epidemic is over. Tax relief and state guarantees that enable companies to obtain bridging loans from banks are among the means of choice. A measure to be considered is the short-time working allowance, which has long been tested in Germany and is applied in Germany now again.
• The big and fully digitalized businesses can much better provide income that we can spend and spread. Therefore, the work force in such businesses has a particular obligation to stay home and keep physical distancing.
• Online retailers can provide safe delivery as well as home office options.
• We can support small businesses through take away, gift cards and future contracts.
• We can make sure we pay invoices in time.
• Do not hoard food, we have enough in Europe for everyone: Please see my interview on n-tv: https://video.bakermckenzie.com/#/videos/c65ae548-09dd-43e7-9799-c5a4098452c9
• We need to constantly reevaluate our supply chains.
• Personal Protective Equipment: A number of Member States, such as Germany, France and Poland, have introduced national export bans of medical equipment. Yesterday, the Commission published an Implementing Regulation that prohibits the export of the personal protective equipment listed in Annex I to the Implementing Regulation, to destinations outside the EU, unless a licence is first obtained from a Member State. The Implementing Regulation was made pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2015/479, which permits the Commission to adopt temporary export control measures in order to prevent or remedy critical situations arising from shortages of essential products. Make sure you apply for a license asap. For further detail, see our client alert: https://sanctionsnews.bakermckenzie.com/new-eu-and-national-export-controls-on-face-masks-and-medical-protective-equipment/
• When you close borders in the EU, do not underestimate that this will lead to delays in deliveries, in a time where we all need to think about making supplies easier. Make sure that logistics do not collapse, because this will have an immediate impact on our people. We should never forget that for us Europeans open borders is part of our DNA. There will be a time after this pandemic and we will judge each other for our decisive, but generous actions.

Our Future, let's learn from the past

We see wonderful signs of solidarity and friendship. For every unsocial hoarder, there are thousands of people doing their best to prevent the virus from spreading further and keeping our economy up as much as we can. Thousands of doctors, cleaners, nurses, train and bus drivers working around the clock. People around Europe are keeping the spirit up! It’s in challenging times where true character and leadership shows. EU leadership is what we need now.

Many years ago I posed the following question to senior UN diplomats: What are our lessons learnt from Ebola? I am optimistic that we will learn from our mistakes this time and look back and see how much better prepared we are for the next pandemic and how a so-called coronavirus became the catalyst for #homeoffice and digitalisation.

Be safe! Be considerate! 

#EU #coronavirus #flattenthecurve #ifyouarealeaderflattenthecurve #leadership