The second wave of Eurofound’s pan-EU Living, working and COVID-19 survey is now open. The first results of the online survey, carried out in April, showed a Europe grappling to respond to the crisis caused by the pandemic, with many respondents reporting low levels of optimism about their future, job and contract loss, and a spike in financial insecurity. This second wave of the survey will delve deeper and aim to capture how lives have changed over time – particularly for those most impacted, such as the self-employed.
The second wave of the survey is more targeted, tracks changes since the initial confinement period, and seeks to provide an even deeper analysis in order to further contribute to Europe’s policy response. Despite its more targeted nature, a strong and balanced response rate is required to ensure that it reflects population structures and captures the true nature of how life has changed across Europe.
Speaking about the launch of the second wave of the survey, Eurofound Executive Director Juan Menéndez-Valdés said, “With over 60,000 responses, the first findings of this survey were widely recognised for its insights on how the arrival of this pandemic had fundamentally changed people’s lives and work. Now it is time to go deeper, attain a more granular analysis, and learn about the evolution of these changes. This is why we are calling on the population aged 18 or over to complete the second wave of this survey, which will help contribute to Europe’s economic, social and labour market policy responses in the months and years ahead.”
Please complete the survey
Eurofound are asking you to complete the survey and to spread it within your network. It takes around 10 minutes to complete, is anonymous, and is designed for the general population aged 18 years or older and living in the EU. It is also open to people from other countries.
DesignEuropa 2020 ceremony postponed
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Take a tour and navigate through our pages in order to read our latest news and developments, as well as to find out how EASO has continued to deliver on its mandate despite the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how we have quickly adapted to a ‘new normal’.
Meet Dr. David Costello, Chair of the EASO Management Board, Maria and Maya, EASO Field Support Officers in Greece, and get updated on EASO’s work in third countries.
Specific to the challenges faced by national asylum authorities due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we recently issued practical recommendations on remote personal interviews and on lodging remote registration. Read about how these recommendations have provided Member States with concrete support in extraordinary circumstances, so as to facilitate the return to normal asylum procedures.
Most recently, on 25 June, we published the EASO Asylum Report 2020; the flagship annual report which serves as a main reference for developments in asylum in EU+ countries.
Last but not least, have a look at the latest developments in EASO’s training activities and check out our latest publications.
Media advisory – Press briefing ahead of the EU-India summit via video conference
The press briefing ahead of the EU-India summit via video conference of 15 July 2020 will take place via video conferenceon Tuesday 14 July 2020 at 11.00.
This briefing is “off the record” and for press only.
In order to follow the briefing and to be able to ask questions remotely, EU accredited journalists and journalists who had a EUCO accreditation from June 2019 European Council meeting or later, can register using this link.
Journalists who already registered for high-level press conferences (European Council, international summits) in April, May or June don’t need to register again.
Deadline: Tuesday, 14 July 2020, 10.00
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants approximately half an hour after the deadline.
Jordan: #TeamEurope – EIB and Capital Bank of Jordan join forces to support SMEs
€70 million of financing to support economic resilience of Jordan
Team Europe response to tackle the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
Funds to support SMEs and mid-caps in Jordan
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is supporting the Jordanian economy with a €70 million line of credit to Capital Bank of Jordan to be on-lent primarily to local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been severely affected by the economic consequences of the coronavirus outbreak.
SMEs are the backbone of the Jordanian economy as they account for over 95% of local businesses, contribute to more than 50% of GDP, and employ about 60% of the working population. As a consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies have experienced a decrease in turnover and profitability, leading to payment delays and an increased demand for liquidity. It is now crucial to step up support to private sector businesses, thus helping to protect jobs and keep the economy going.
The EIB financing comes under the Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI), a joint EIB and EU programme aiming to support the countries in the Mediterranean region that have been most impacted by the refugee crisis. This is the EU bank’s first operation in response to the COVID-19 impact in Jordan, and is part of its €6.77 billion support package in countries outside the EU in the context of Team Europe’s response to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Since its inception in 1995, Capital Bank of Jordan has become one of the leading financial institutions, offering a comprehensive set of added-value commercial and investment banking services tailored to the needs of individuals and institutional clients in Jordan and the region. Capital Bank offers a broad set of financial products for its Corporate and SME clients, capitalising on its established expertise in the Jordanian market, as well as its regional presence.
Flavia Palanza, Director of the EU Neighbourhood Department at the EIB, said “It is one of the EIB’s top priorities to support the resilience of the private sector during this unprecedented crisis with the provision of funding through our cooperation with the Jordanian banking sector. Our partnership with Capital Bank of Jordan aims to make available vital financing for SMEs and mid-caps to help them cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Team Europe response, we are committed to stepping up our support for Jordan to address the immediate challenges caused by the pandemic, as well as laying the foundations for a successful economic recovery after the crisis.”
European Union Ambassador to Jordan, H.E. Maria Hadjitheodosiou, commended on the “timely and crucial” financing provided by the EIB to Capital Bank of Jordan, which will enable SMEs struggling to cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus to continue operating, and assist them in preserving and creating new jobs.
The Ambassador underlined that “this Team Europe package, which is part of the European Union’s COVID-19 response, complements the Jordanian government’s response to support entrepreneurship and job creation.”
Chairman of Capital Bank, H.E. Bassem Khalil Al-Salem, said: “We are proud to be the first bank in Jordan to cooperate with the EIB in its current response to the COVID-19 emergency. This strategic alliance will serve to support small and medium-sized Jordanian enterprises and stands as a testament to the trust that the EIB has in Capital Bank as a reputable and reliable partner capable of supporting this vital sector of the economy. Through our cooperation with the EIB, Capital Bank will be able to offer support to new and existing clients to grow and prosper.”
Al-Salem added: “SMEs are the backbone of our national economy’s development and growth and have been affected by the current COVID-19 crisis. This cooperation with the EIB will be a strong tool to help support this essential sector in our economy. Both Capital Bank and the EIB have a strong track record in supporting SMEs. With this strategic partnership, we will dedicate our efforts to creating new employment opportunities, increasing competitiveness and stimulating growth in order to promote a more dynamic Jordanian economy.”
