On 3 April 2020, AEGIS Europe, the industry alliance representing more than 20 key EU industries,  published a press release calling for the EU to protect manufacturing industries from the economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. The Alliance shared its concerns with the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a letter, asking for urgent and adequate measures to keep EU’s manufacturing industry, the economic backbone of the continent, intact.