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EU executive to present plan for gradual end to Covid-19 measures

The European Union’s executive is due to propose an exit strategy later on Wednesday for member states to gradually remove coronavirus restrictions and resume normal activity.

The European Commission guidelines, which will not be binding on member states, were supposed to be presented last week already. But some EU capitals were worried about giving a signal too soon that lockdown measures could begin to be relaxed.

The plan, to be presented by commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will propose common criteria – such as hospital capacities – for the gradual removal of existing restrictions across most of Europe.

It is up to individual EU states to decide how and when to take such steps, however.

Details of the commission’s strategy have already emerged. A central element is to take small, tightly controlled steps over a series of months, according to a draft. Two conditions should be met first: a notable reduction in the spread of the virus and a sufficient number of hospital and intensive care beds.

Read also: Trump to convene G7 leaders’ video meeting on coronavirus

Some member states, including Austria and hard-hit Spain, have already begun rolling back some restrictions.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the existing measures will remain until May 11. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to discuss the issue with the country’s federal states on Wednesday. (dpa)

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