A European Union summit due to take place on March 25-26 in Brussels will now be held virtually due a spike in COVID-19 cases across Europe, an EU spokesperson said on Sunday.
“EUCO President has decided to a videoconference for the March EUCO following the surge of COVID-19 cases in member states,” Barend Leyts, the spokesperson of EU Council President, Charles Michel wrote in a Twitter post on Sunday morning.
He added that in the meantime, Michel will continue consultations with the EU27 leaders and that more details will follow.
The announcement came amid a surge in daily COVID-19 cases across the bloc, with several member-states toughening their measures or even returning to a lockdown, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
.@eucopresident has decided to a videoconference for the March #EUCO following the surge of #COVID19 cases in member states.
The president will in the meantime continue consultations with all leaders.
Details on logistics will follow shortly.
— Barend Leyts (@BarendLeyts) March 21, 2021
The EU heads of state and government are set to discuss ways to speed up vaccinations across the bloc, following the emergency situation shaped by the emergence of highly contagious Coronavirus variants. More topics are also in the agenda for Thursday and Friday, including relations with Russia and Turkey and economic and industrial policy as well.