The European Union has held talks with manufacturers of medical equipment who are ready to raise production of face masks to overcome shortages due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Lives have been put at risk says the World Health Organization by the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), caused by rising demand and panic buying.
Coronavirus continues to sweep across Europe, with Italy the hardest hit, confirming more than 12,000 cases, making it the country most affected from a lack of medical equipment and protective gear.
Italy is struggling to provide enough protective gear such as face masks. /Miguel Medina/AFP
The EU has been looking at ways to deal with the availability of protective equipment and respiratory devices. Commissioner Thierry Breton has spoken to industry chiefs in video conferences to listen to their views on how the shortage can be overcome.
A Commission source told CGTN Europe: "Commissioner Breton held a video conference with high-level representatives of EU big manufacturing companies of personal protective equipment.
"They discussed various aspects such as the available stocks, the barriers encountered in the Single Market and the possibilities to address the market situation.
"Companies shared their willingness to increase production in order to face the increasing demand. To do so we are analyzing export bans, addressing supply issues, assessing different standards to enlarge options.
"Commissioner Breton will hold other similar video conferences next week."
Italy's shortfall in medical equipment has been helped with more than two million face masks and 10,000 pulmonary ventilators being sent from China, according to Italian news agency Ansa.