A more cohesive and ambitious European Policy Response to Covid-19

Letter of a European citizen to our Leaders (Petition to the European Council)

As a fervent pro-European, I have been deeply saddened by the weakness shown so far by the leaders of our continent during the Covid-19 pandemic. Firstly, on the humanitarian front, we witnessed a disappointing lack of solidarity and cooperation; when the crisis started escalating, several countries closed their borders and stopped the outflow of protective equipment to other member states. Secondly, on the economic front, our leaders struck a profoundly ambiguous, timid emergency deal*, which won’t give the necessary macroeconomic impulse to heal the deep wounds that Covid-19 will leave on our economies and societies. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that this year it will be the worst global economic contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

A not-ambitious-enough response of our Leaders to a crisis of this entity poses a mortal threat to the future of the EU. Even convinced pro-Europeans are questioning the real meaning and utility of the Union if, even in times of emergency, our Leaders seem incapable of truly acting cohesively and supportively. At the same time, a sense of abandonment and suffering is creeping up among the populations most affected by the pandemic. The despair generated by the economic consequences will breed more national selfishness and risks to take European relationship to a point of non-return.

However, this could also be the time of illuminist courage, selfless European unity and humanity. From this crisis, a stronger and more cohesive EU could arise. Therefore, the choices that our Leaders will make in the next weeks and months will have an impact that could change our future dramatically, especially that of the younger generations.

Recalling the Solidarity clause (article 222) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, we call for a European solution to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic depression. To this end, I ask my fellow European citizens to show our Leaders that we stand united and are willing to make our voices heard by signing this petition. If we set clear expectations about what European Unity and Solidarity should look like, our leaders, who represent our will, cannot fail them.

We are stronger TOGETHER.

• https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/04/09/report-on-the-comprehensive-economic-policy-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/