​​​​​​At a special European Committee of the Regions (CoR) Conference of Presidents held by video conference on the 24th March a five-point action plan of the CoR was agreed to support and assist local and regional authorities at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The five-points plan includes the launch of an exchange platform to help local and regional leaders sharing their needs and solutions and to enhance mutual support between local communities across Europe. It will also enable CoR members to give their feedback on the EU actions already put in place, allowing a policy reality check from the ground. The CoR will provide regular and practical information about EU measures, with a particular focus on the financing opportunities.

The European Alliance Group President Cllr Kieran McCarthy strongly supported the action plan and said it was vital that regions and cities across the EU worked together to ensure that this virus would be defeated and that regions and cities had the means at their disposal via EU and national funding. He added it was hugely important for citizens to heed the advice of the relevant authorities regarding 'staying at home' and 'social distancing'.  

Cllr McCarthy has also emphasised that the outbreak and rapid spread of COVID-19 is putting public sector organisations through great challenges and great stress with local governments, public administrations, local health services particularly at the forefront of the crisis. "This is a virus with a serious impact on public health, the economy and social and political issues. Different countries and different regions within the same country are in different scenarios but knowledge of different interventions can help those on the front line with more information and how to drive the virus back".

Cllr McCarthy added: "The EU has over 280 regions and members of the European Committee of the Regions stand ready to assist in core EU activities on combatting COVID 19, such as collecting knowledge of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, working with the EU's advisory panel on COVID-19, offering advice on the operation on EU Civil Protection Mechanism and offering perspective on the roll-out of the European Stability Mechanism and Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative".