Overview
The ECB recently published its
Financial Stability Review (the
"Review") which highlights how
Europe's economic and financial policymakers have, where
possible, attempted to reduce the near-term economic damage caused
by the COVID-19 pandemic, while also attempting to minimise medium
to long-term damage and assist in a speedier European economic
recovery as the virus recedes.
A preliminary scenario analysis carried out by the ECB suggests
a decrease in GDP this year in the euro zone of between 5% and 12%.
This contraction reflects the impact of the public health measures
used to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, which has curtailed
demand and production globally. To counteract extensive negative
effects to the public and to businesses, two of the measures that
the European Commission undertook was the launch of a support
scheme by way of a pan-European guarantee fund to support SMEs via
the European Investment Bank and separately, pandemic