On the eve of Europe Day, we reflect on how the crisis shows that a united Europe is the best tool we have to face global challenges. This is the time to realize that there is a European supranational interest to be pursued, above and beyond national sensitivities. In the interest of our generation and future ones.

Tomorrow, May 9^th, we celebrate Europe Day – we remember the speech of Robert Schuman, given on this day 70 years ago, who for the first time called European countries to pool their sovereignty. To mark this anniversary, European institutions had planned to launch the Conference on the future of Europe, an exercise aiming at discussing (with the contribution of civil society) how to reinvigorate the European Union, its institutions and action.

As Europe slowly emerges from the health emergency and re-opens, let us reflect about what has been the added value of Europe during the crisis. Without the single market, it would have been even more complicated for EU countries to have access to strategic goods (including foodstuff). Thanks to the intra-State solidarity, hundreds of Covid patients could be transferred from heavily impacted areas of Europe, releasing pressure on health systems. Thanks to the EU, thousands of EU citizens abroad have been able to return to their homes. And as the first economic forecasts show, only an ambitious recovery plan coordinated by Europe can cushion the effects of an otherwise insurmountable recession.

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