Romania to host EU stockpile of medical equipment
(VOVWORLD) - Romania is the first EU country that volunteered to purchase and host, on behalf of the European Union, a stockpile of ventilators, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, told public television TVR.
A total of 150 ventilators have already been ordered and will reach Romania before being sent to countries that need them, including Spain and in Italy. On March 19, the European Commission announced it was creating a strategic stockpile of medical equipment, such as ventilators. The stockpile would be hosted by one or several member states, the Commission said at the time. The hosting state is responsible for procuring the equipment.
The Commission finances 90% of the stockpile. The Emergency Response Coordination Center manages the distribution of the equipment to ensure it goes where it is needed most.