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Question for a Written Answer: Role of the timber sector in the fight against the COVID-19 crisis

05.05.2020

Question for a Written Answer: Role of the timber sector in the fight against the COVID-19 crisis

Question for a Written Answer to the European Commission (Rule 138) by Anne Sander on “Role of the timber sector in the fight against the COVID-19 crisis”

Question for written answer E-002185/2020 to the Commission Rule 138
by MEP Mrs Anne Sander

Europe is currently facing an unparalleled health crisis with unprecedented consequences for all sectors of our economy. The Commission has reacted quickly to the COVID-19 epidemic, both in addressing urgent needs for medical equipment, through the rescEU mechanism for instance, and in pre-empting and mitigating the impact on our businesses.

Sectors of manufacturing industry, such as timber, provide exceptional possibilities for tackling the health crisis and saving lives, for example with wood-based emergency rescue infrastructure and flat-pack hospital units. However, in order to be fully utilised, these units must be transported to the places where they are most needed.

Could the Commission state how the possibilities of wood-based emergency infrastructure are being considered in its management of the COVID-19 crisis and if such material can be transported despite the closure of certain intra-European borders?