EU fiscal response to cornavirus pandemic taking shape after shaky start

"The way other member-states initially responded to Italy’s coronavirus plight has shaped the narrative of the crisis," says Luigi Scazzieri, of the Centre for European Reform (CER). 

"In late February, Italy requested assistance from other member-states, calling on the European Commission to activate the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism. But, when the Commission did so, not one member-state offered assistance. Instead, several, including France and Germany, banned the export of essential medical equipment for fear that they would need it themselves."