Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Letter

Dear EU Leaders, stand up for Europeans, now!

  • 'We appreciate the European Commission's first package of measures to combat Covid-19 - but there is still much to be done, the member states are still acting differently and selfishly' (Photo: Dipartimento Protezione Civile)

Dear EU Leaders, stand up for Europeans, now!

Mankind is facing another major crisis, caused by a silent and invisible enemy that knows no borders and could potentially attack anyone.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

This is a war and Europe must act accordingly to protect itself. Everything is at stake: not only our health but also our way of living, our jobs, our social structure and our economy.

Only with a strong, coordinated and united political approach can we win this battle.

At the moment, Europe clearly lacks a true moral leadership and coordination to deal with this emergency. We, members of Volt Belgium - the Belgian chapter of Volt Europa, the first pan-European party - call on you to stand up and show more solidarity and unity across the EU.

Our party stands against the rise of nationalism that has threatened the EU project in recent years. Now we strongly condemn the rise of 'corona nationalism'.

Let's learn from our past. When we face a global crisis, national measures are not enough. Acting quickly and acting together is the only effective response. This is your chance to show solidarity, coordination and action. This is a test of European unity. This is the moment to show whether we are a real Union or not.

We appreciate the European Commission's first package of measures to combat Covid-19, a first joint step in the right direction.

But there is still much to be done, the member states are still acting differently and selfishly. We want you to be stronger and united! All member states must act with a common coherent plan to save our society.

The EU institutions must ensure an equal distribution of medical equipment and financial support to all.

The Covid-19 outbreak shows how urgent and fundamental it is to have a universal and solidarity-based public health system. Solidarity must be strengthened and each member state must take the same measures to combat and contain the spread of Covid-19.

This exceptional situation calls for exceptional measures. We call on you for a stronger policy coordination and a coherent approach with the creation of a "European Covid-19 coordination body" to ensure the smooth working of our Single Market.

Moreover, all EU institutions and governments must be able to take the necessary measures, regardless of their current level of indebtedness, to support the weaker families, companies in maintaining current jobs, and workers who have already lost their jobs.

Heads of state and government must finally act to adopt an ambitious multi-annual budget adapted to this unprecedented systemic crisis.

Finally, according to some studies, Covid-19 is spreading more easily in the most polluted regions, which is why the implementation of the European Green Deal must continue to be one of the priorities for a necessary economic, social and environmental transition after this crisis has passed.

If you do not show unity and if you will not do whatever it takes, citizens will not forget. And it might lead to the end of the European Union.

Author bio

The authors are members of the Belgian section of Volt Europa, the pan-European political movement.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author's, not those of EUobserver.

MEPs vote by email on new coronavirus measures

MEPs will vote via email on emergency legislation to help countries and companies in the wake of the spread of coronavirus. The plenary sessions are to held in Brussels until July instead of Strasbourg.

Feature

How Hungary's Orban blamed migrants for coronavirus

Viktor Orban's government was quick to blame an Iranian legally studying in Hungary as his country's first coronavirus case. In fact, it was a Hungarian woman, who probably caught it in Italy.

Analysis

Will coronavirus torpedo the Green Deal?

2020 was supposed to be the crunch year in the fightback against climate change. However, the coronavirus pandemic has flattened Europe and beyond, which is likely to slow down international negotiations to fight climate change

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Column

EU's Gaza policy: boon for dictators, bad for democrats

While they woo dictators and autocrats, EU policymakers are becoming ever more estranged from the world's democrats. The real tragedy is the erosion of one of Europe's key assets: its huge reserves of soft power, writes Shada Islam.

Column

EU's Gaza policy: boon for dictators, bad for democrats

While they woo dictators and autocrats, EU policymakers are becoming ever more estranged from the world's democrats. The real tragedy is the erosion of one of Europe's key assets: its huge reserves of soft power, writes Shada Islam.

Latest News

  1. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  2. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  3. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult
  4. EU unveils plan to create a European cross-border degree
  5. How migrants risk becoming drug addicts along Balkan route
  6. 2024: A Space Odyssey — why the galaxy needs regulating
  7. Syrian mayor in Germany speaks out against AfD
  8. Asian workers pay price for EU ship recycling

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us