Pedro Sánchez highlights European leadership in responding to COVID-19 pandemic

Brussels (Belgium)

The President of the Government specified that Spain has an accumulated rate over 14 days below 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, but this does not mean dropping our guard over the Christmas festivities.

Pedro Sánchez claimed that "our gift this Christmas must be safety" and continue maintaining restrictions on mobility, given the risk of increased contact with family and friends.

The vaccination strategy will be one of the main issues addressed at the European Council to be held in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

The government, announced the President of the Government, acknowledges the "extraordinary merit" of common action headed up by EU partners in "negotiating fair access by the European people to vaccination with the pharmaceutical companies", once validated by the European Medicines Agency.

In his opinion, the common measures to tackle the pandemic and the agreement to adopt a vaccination strategy are synonymous with Europe having provided a response in line with the challenge we face.

As regards the vaccination process in Spain, Pedro Sánchez stated that the system is ready to validate the vaccine once it arrives and to distribute it "fairly and with equal access to the whole of the population over the course of the coming months".

Other issues at European Council

Pedro Sánchez announced that the European Council, as well as addressing the response to the pandemic, will also address the climate emergency, external relations of the European Union and relations with Turkey.

The President of the Government announced that he will defend the target of bringing forward a reduction in emissions of at least 55% by the year 2030. "Spain has always worked to ensure that the ecological transition is brought forward at a faster pace", he said.

He also announced that at the meeting of the leaders of the European Union he will propose the definition of a structural strategy on the Southern Neighbourhood with the countries in North Africa and will advocate strengthening multilateralism with the United States Administration after the investiture of Joe Biden as President of the United States.

Relations between the European Union and Turkey in the wake of the crisis that has unfolded between the latter and Greece will also be reviewed at the European Council.

Condolences over deaths in Badalona

Upon his arrival in Brussels, the President of the Government also expressed his condolences over the victims of the fire in a warehouse in Badalona (Barcelona) and conveyed the government's interest in collaborating with the Catalan authorities in order to resolve the incident as soon as possible.

Non official translation