The European Commission has approved a 13-billion-euro state aid programme for the Portuguese economy, a 22-billion-euro plan of state guarantees for Poland and a 2-billion-euro scheme for Greece. "This Polish guarantee scheme will help Polish businesses affected by the current coronavirus crisis cover their immediate working capital and investment needs," Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. Poland reported on Saturday (April 4) the total number of coronavirus infections has gone up 3627, of which 79 people have died.
The European Commission has approved a series of multi-billion-euro state support packages for Greece, Poland and Portugal to help soften the economic impact of the coronavirus through grants and loan guarantees.
The Commission, which enforces EU anti-trust regulation, loosened its rules last month to allow EU governments to support businesses and banks after factories began to fall quiet and Europeans were ordered to stay home to stop the virus spreading.
In a series of statements late on Friday and on Saturday, the Commission approved a 13-billion-euro state aid programme for the Portuguese economy, a 22-billion-euro plan of state guarantees for Poland and a 2-billion-euro scheme for Greece.
The schemes were judged not to distort EU competition.
"This Polish guarantee scheme will help Polish businesses affected by the current coronavirus crisis cover their immediate working capital and investment needs," Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
For Portugal, Vestager said the 13 billion euros would "enable Portugal to provide direct grants and public guarantees on loans to help small-and-medium-sized companies and large companies cover investment and working capital needs".
Over million cases worldwide
Poland's health ministry said on Saturday (April 4) that the total number of coronavirus infections has increased to 3627. So far, 79 infected people have died in the country.
More than 1.1 million people have been reported infected by the novel coronavirus across the world and 60,049 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
Infections have been reported in more than 200 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
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Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters