Statement of The Spinelli Group and of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) on a European response to address the health and socio-economic impact of Covid19
In a joint statement issued today (Wednesday 25 March), the Spinelli Group and the Union of European Federalists (UEF) urge the European Council to take exceptional action in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Spinelli Group and the European Federalists call on EU Institutions and national governments to take the leap towards the creation of EU Recovery Bonds backed by the EU budget and Europe-wide taxes to finance a strong answer able to address the pandemic and its financial impact on the EU’s economy proactively. It urges for the creation of a European Health Union, that would give the necessary powers to the EU to ensure coordination of emergency measures to address health crises in the future.
Andrew Duff, President of the Spinelli Group, said: “Yesterday’s lacklustre Eurogroup passed the buck to the heads of government. The European Council tomorrow must shoulder its constitutional responsibility to secure the cohesion of the EU as a whole, and in particular take decisive action to consolidate the euro. Dealing with the pandemic triggers an enormous increase in public expenditure which will exacerbate the structural imbalance between richer and poorer member states. The EU has for years evaded the issuance of a mutualised safe asset in the form of eurobonds. So the eurozone has survived courtesy of the monetary policy of the European Central Bank but without the support of a common fiscal policy.
The coronavirus crisis is time to rectify this flaw in economic and monetary union. The plague risks the lives of all EU citizens equally, and the social and economic impact will be much worse than the asymmetric shock of the financial crash in 2008. The European Council must give practical expression to the theoretical injunction for solidarity between its states and citizens. This is the time for European leaders to push forward the politics of the Union in the federal direction.” Duff added: “Bleating about ‘moral hazard’ was yesterday’s response to the last crisis. Today Europe expects a decisive demonstration of generosity and mutual concern from its leaders, without which the values and principles of our Union are fraudulent.”
“We can’t yet measure the impact of COVID-19 on the European economy, but it will certainly be very important,” says Sandro Gozi, Member of the European Parliament and President of the UEF. “We need to prepare now for the worst-case scenario and put in place without delay a strong and bold response to revive the economies of EU countries. Nothing will be the same after containment. We will be entering a new world, we will have to build a new Europe” concludes Mr. Gozi.
The full text of the statement with the proposals of the Spinelli Group and the European Federalists on a European response to the COVID19 crisis can be found through the following link.
The Union of European Federalists (UEF) is a pan-European, non-governmental political organisation dedicated to the promotion of European political unity. For more than 70 years UEF has been a leading voice in the promotion of European unity and an early campaigner for key milestones in the development of the European Communities and then the European Union. With 25 national sections and over 400 local groups across Europe, UEF promotes a federal Europe among citizens and political representatives at all levels of government.
Brussels, Wednesday 25 March 2020
