Europe after coronavirus OpenEUdebate, Agenda Pública, Luis Bouza, Álvaro Oleart

A series of ten podcasts by the Jean Monnet OpenEUdebate network. Each podcast features debates among experts from academia, civil society and politics on the effect of the pandemic on different scenarios for the future of the European Union.

European integration has progressed with every crisis, and yet each one raises concerns about disintegration. The coronavirus is no different: it may contribute to new EU competences in health coordination and social protection but also to the raise of anti-European forces. Listen to our first debate with Alvaro Oleart, Catherine de Vries and Alberto Alemanno.

The economic effects of coronavirus are second only to the medical impact. However, members of the Eurozone struggle to agree on a common approach to the incoming recession: whether Eurobonds, policies for recovery or funding social protection, the future of the Euro will be defined by the outcome of the crisis.

Preview of the second episode.

The immediate economic effect of COVID19 is a sharp increase in unemployment rates. As a result payments for the unemployed will become a significant part of EU member states budgets. The EU Commission has proposed a new programme called SURE. Is this the beginning of more direct EU involvement in national unemployment schemes? Will SURE be enough? Are other social protection measures also necessary?

The COVID-19 health crisis has also caused a political earthquake in the EU. Does the crisis issue new lines of political conflict in Europe? How does it reflect on established lines of political division? Will neoliberalism survive the COVID-19 crisis? Will populism continue its rise? These questions, and many more, are addressed in this podcast.