Germany will focus its six-month presidency of the European Union from 1 July on the fight against the new coronavirus and its social and economic impact as well as environmental issues, Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "It will be clearly dominated by the issue of combating the pandemic and its consequences," Ms Merkel said of the presidency in her weekly video podcast, adding that as long as there was no vaccine, the virus would dominate life in Europe.
The Chancellor said Germany would promote the idea of an efficient European health care system for all member states, as well as a financial transaction tax, minimum tax rates and a joint carbon emissions trading system for ships and planes.