This years Europe Day is a different one. Not only because it is the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, but also because of the conditions under which we celebrate this year’s festivities.
Physically divided, but united as the fight against the coronavirus has shown that no single country can successfully cope alone with the exceptional challenges COVID-19 poses to societies and economies.
The Schuman Declaration on the 9th of May 1950 is about European solidarity and unity. The current tasks we face, demand exact those two core values.
Was it the €540 billion safety nets that were agreed? The temporary SURE initiative to support national efforts to sustain short-time-work schemes and similar? Or the leading role of Europe in the Coronavirus Global Response fund raising of €7,4 billion to ensure the collaborative development and universal deployment of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against coronavirus? Being part of the European community appeared to be value adding for its citizens.
Europe and its industry have proven to be a successful team, too. During the last months companies switched their production to step in where, due to the symmetric shock, international suppliers dropped out, such as the production of ventilators and other medical devices. Europe and industry have massive challenges ahead. Together, these can be better managed and seized for strengthening both and making them more resilient for the future.
Eventually it comes back to success formula of European Union, it being a competitive and social Europe.