background
The effects of the corona crisis on health and the economy are unprecedented. In the course of its development, the different perceptions and needs of the EU countries have become clear and painful memories of the financial crisis have been reawak-ened. At the same time, political decisions of hitherto unknown magnitude have been taken, illustrating the extent of the political room for manoeuvre. It raises the question what significance solidarity should have in the EU?
Partial questions
1. Should wealthy EU Member States provide more economic support to Member States that are particularly hard hit by crises?
Background: Both the financial crisis from 2007 onwards and the corona pandemic have hit and continue to hit some EU countries particularly hard and these countries have less means of getting their economies back on track through financial stimuli. In the event of a crisis, the EU could support these countries in finding a way out of the crisis.
Pros
The single market and the common currency means that creditor/donor countries, especially the strongest exporting countries, also benefit from the provision of support to se-verely affected economies since this stimulates demand.
Financial support is a signal of solidarity and mutual trust. Both are important prerequisites for effective cooperation between the EU community of states, for example, when dealing with global players such as China or the USA.
Financial solidarity strengthens the belief in the EU in affect-ed populations. In this way, efforts to leave the EU are avoided.
Cons
The economic weakness of some EU countries is primarily a result of their own financial and fiscal policies. Financial support from other countries undermines necessary structural reforms.
The support of economies of other countries cannot be ex-plained to one’s own population. This strengthens Eurosceptic initiatives.
It is impossible for governments and experts to distribute funds as efficiently as the free market does. EU financial in-terventions in national economies therefore restrict growth.
Additions from the meetings
In favour but EU money need to be spent wisely (borrowing=next generations will be paying it back). Introduce sort of efficiency scrutiny to avoid MS spending this money to face short term inefficiencies/finance artificial projects, cooperation with private sector to see which actor investment makes more sense/ensure competition/more SMEs. Finally more enforcement re-EU money spendings; more political courage from the Commission to pursue countries via infringement procedures and naming and shaming (i.e. EU semester recommendations do not impress Member States - they are encouraged to launch labour market, fiscal, administrative reforms but not much is happening). We need more discipline to gain support of EU citizens for economic solidarity).
Mutual solidarity is not possible if democratic practices in some member states is called into question, for example in Poland and Hungary.
2. Should the EU invest more in social policy measures to tackle social inequality between the Member States?
Background: While in the past the differing standards of living in the countries of the EU were moving closer together, this trend has reversed since the financial crisis of 2007. Even when taking differences in the cost of living into account, large sections of the population in various EU countries are still in a very weak social position. As a result, there is a growing gap between the north and south of the EU as well as between the west and east with regard to social security. Examples of social policy measures include protection against unemployment, loss of housing, poverty in old age and health.
Pros
If all EU citizens have similar social security coverage, the sense of community and a European identity will be strengthened. This creates support for future shared pro-jects.
Social and societal progress are fundamental values of our European society and democracy ("EU’s promise of pros-perity").
High standards of living and socially desirable prospects in each Member State reduce poverty-related migration within the EU.
Cons
Given the different social security systems and cultural back-grounds among the EU Member States, a centrally controlled social policy can only fail.
The same social security for all EU citizens would consume large sums of money which would then no longer be available for other investments for the future such as environmental protection, digitization or education.
Even within individual EU countries, an ever widening prosperi-ty gap has emerged in recent decades. It must therefore be the task of the States to protect their own populations against the risk of poverty.
Additions from the meetings
EU should eventually become one, convergent social single market but it requires wider reform including pan-European taxes. No taxation without representation.
Investing and intervening too much in social policy measures diverts responsibility from individual country heads, towards the overarching EU. Each country needs to make their own decisions based on their local needs and values.
3. Should the EU, in the interest of future generations, primarily focus on environmentally friend-ly innovation and jobs?
Background: We are heading for severe global warming well above the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement. Uncontrolled climate change would lead, among other things, to extreme weather conditions and thus to deaths and further migration movements. The less developed countries and future generations would suffer as a result. To combat the corona crisis, the EU is investing an unprece-dented amount of money and could thus give the "Green Deal" a significant boost.
Pros
It is better to change course today than tomorrow. If we con-tinue to delay fundamental reforms to avert the climate crisis, negative consequences for the Earth, societies and democ-racy will become ever greater- as will the costs of transfor-mation.
To overcome the economic corona crisis, the EU is taking on large debts that will have to be repaid over decades. There-fore, all EU investments should be sustainable, both eco-nomically and ecologically.
The Corona crisis shows that change becomes possible when it is necessary. Europe is currently experiencing a turnaround. This historic opportunity for modernisation must not be wasted.
Cons
If subsidies are withdrawn from CO2-intensive industries, many jobs and prosperity are under threat, especially during and after the current crisis.
Many wealthy countries have increased their prosperity with the help of fossil energy sources. Countries whose economies have a lot of catching up to do cannot be expected to abandon this in favour of a costly reconstruction of their systems.
The energy turnaround is a lengthy process. In order for it to be successful, we must remain competitive. Therefore, the transition must be made gradually.
Additions from the meetings
The EU has a unique chance to regain its global leadership with its Green agenda (other countries start following us so let's keep the momentum). Fit for purpose regulation and financing should follow.
Changing course has to be addressed world wide and not only in the EU, to really make a difference. Investing too much time and money could be futile in the big picture / not make enough difference to matter.
Sources
- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200115IPR70326/q-a-on-the-eu-s-long-term-budget-multiannual-financial-framework-mff
- https://www.socialeurope.eu/seven-surprising-facts-about-the-italian-economy
- https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/fileadmin/files/BSt/Publikationen/GrauePublikationen/SJI_2019.pdf
- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/en/be-heard/eurobarometer/public-opinion-in-the-eu-in-time-of-coronavirus-crisis-2
- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/files/be-heard/eurobarometer/2020/public_opinion_in_the_eu_in_time_of_coronavirus_crisis_2/en-covid19-survey2-key-findings.pdf
- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200712IPR83213/citizens-call-for-a-bigger-eu-budget-to-tackle-crisis-new-survey-shows
- https://eupinions.eu/de/text/in-crisis-europeans-support-radical-positions
- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/eurobarometre/2019/parlemeter-2019-heeding-the-call-beyond-the-vote/report/en-report.pdf
- https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_17
Impressions from the HomeParliaments
Evaluation
Should the EU move towards more mutual solidarity?
Consents 166
Rejections 4
Abstentions 1
This is how the addressees express themselves
Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamente in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REitgqCmFf0
to the results
Manfred Weber hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAk_7letUUE
Alle Ergebnisse dieser Runde der Europäischen HausParlamente findest du darüber hinaus hier: https://homeparliaments.eu/ergebnisse-runde-3/
Manfred Weber hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAk_7letUUE
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Hildegard Bentele hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qlywj9rU7/
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Gaby Bischoff hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qmuYjR_ha/
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Pedro Marques hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamente in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9ZPvpSIWS_/
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Fabienne Keller hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAy6s6k2mLQ
to the results
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p1hvoC1GdA
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Ska Keller hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamente in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9ZPMaKczXt/
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Franziska Brantner hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p1hvoC1GdA
to the results
Martin Schirdewan hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB97Xcnknlw
to the results
Helmut Scholz hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB97Xcnknlw
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Nicola Beer hat auf die Diskussionen bei den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAy6s6k2mLQ
to the resultsŁukasz Kohut hat auf die Diskussionen in den Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem live Ergebnis-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://youtu.be/7-_4fhsT9hE
to the results
Moritz Körner hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qpUP88Ioc/
to the results
Michael Bloss hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamente in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9ZRs-KtWJZ/
to the results
Hannah Neumann hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qpvGwBZGW/
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Sergey Lagodinsky hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qq2_VU6aU/
to the results
Jan-Christoph Oetjen hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qoGHbUNH2/
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Jutta Paulus hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamenten in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/9qp0zRrNKB/
Außerdem hat sie ein schriftliches Statement eingereicht, das du hier lesen kannst: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VkDcpUgfwUFB9uYfEtCRmCyPFNXCnjLQ/view?usp=sharing
Katarina Barley hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamente in einem live Ergebnis-Webinar geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://youtu.be/7-_4fhsT9hE
to the results
Michael Theurer hat auf die Ergebnisse der Europäischen HausParlamente in einem Video-Statement geantwortet. Du kannst es hier anschauen: https://fb.watch/aclhtNIp3D/
to the results1. Should wealthy EU Member States provide more economic support to Member States that are particularly hard hit by crises?
The voting results consist of 945 entered results.
Trend (median)
Average
2. Should the EU invest more in social policy measures to tackle social inequality between the Member States?
The voting results consist of 933 entered results.
Trend (median)
Average
3. Should the EU, in the interest of future generations, primarily focus on environmentally friend-ly innovation and jobs?
The voting results consist of 932 entered results.
Trend (median)
Average