The EU is supporting Romania in delivering 50,400 doses of vaccines to Moldova in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This delivery follows Moldova’s request for vaccines through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The Commission coordinates and finances up to 75 % of the costs for transporting the assistance. The EU will also mobilise medical items via its RescEU medical reserve to North Macedonia and Montenegro to help them cope with the pandemic.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “The EU continues to support its neighbours in the fight against the pandemic. I thank all the Member States for their solidarity. I thank, in particular Romania, for once again helping Moldova through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We can only beat this pandemic together.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Moldova has received a range of assistance coordinated through the Mechanism, including 21,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Romania in February 2021.

The EU will also mobilise its RescEU medical reserve hosted in Germany, Belgium, Greece and Romania to send 1.2 million items of personal protective equipment to North Macedonia and Montenegro.

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has coordinated and co-financed the delivery of over 23 million items of assistance to 31 countries to support their COVID-19 response, be it personal protective equipment, ventilators, the reinforcement of medical staff, or, more recently, vaccines.

Background

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is one of the tools that has been instrumental in providing support to countries requesting assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. Through the Mechanism, the EU is helping coordinate and finance the delivery of medical and protective equipment and material across Europe and the world, to countries that seek assistance.

The strategic medical reserve is part of the wider rescEU reserve, including other assets such as aerial firefighting and medical evacuation means. The rescEU reserve constitutes the last resort layer of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which can be activated for all types of natural and man-made hazards. The reserve is hosted by several Member States who are responsible for procuring the equipment.