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“The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes an unprecedented challenge for Europe and the whole world. The three presidencies stand [to] do everything that is necessary to reinforce the resilience of Europe, to protect our citizens and overcome the crisis, while preserving our European values and way of life,” the trio wrote in the 18-page draft document, set to be finalized in May.
Germany, which will take over from Croatia in July and had drafted an ambitious program, had to pivot to crisis management mode.
The three countries’ presidencies will run from July 2020 to December 2021. Berlin, Lisbon and Ljubljana will have to prepare the coronavirus’ aftermath and implement the Commission’s recovery roadmap, while still pushing forward the EU’s 2019-2024 strategic agenda.
“The three presidencies will do their utmost to revitalize the single market, take forward the Green transition and the Digital transformation, ensure the strategic autonomy of the EU through a dynamic industrial policy, support SMEs and start-ups, screen foreign direct investment and build more resilient infrastructure,” the text reads.
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