Online seminar
Details
The COVID-19 outbreak has confronted the European Union with immense challenges and still tests our societies, our healthcare and welfare systems as well as the economies. In July, the 27 heads of state and government agreed on an unprecedented tool to address some of the most pressing issues. The Recovery Fund is supposed to absorb some of the problems, the pandemic has caused economically and will ideally provide incentives to make EU and its economies fit for the future. It aims to foster cooperation and growth, improves the EU´s resilience and helps transform and remodel the economies and the European societies. However, whether or not it will be a versatile and powerful tool to address the consequences of this health crisis, remains to be seen.
An important figure in this context is Valdis Dombrovskis, one of the three Executive Vice-Presidents in the European Commission. Part of his initial portfolio of responsibilities is building a future-ready economy that works for people and delivers stability, jobs, growth and investment. He advocated that the recovery should not only be digital and sustainable but also inclusive, which aims to make sure that no one will be left behind. His goal is to make life easier for people as well as for businesses.
After the recent reshuffle in the European Commission, he also took over the portfolio for Trade, which is equally important for the years to come as it contains the fields of international partnerships, Brexit as well as the Strategic Autonomy of the Union. All of these topics will define the European Union’s way forward during and after the current health crisis and have the potential to lead the EU into a more sustainable future. Which decisions are most important to achieve these goals and which incentives can the European Commission provide in order to make them become a reality within the next years and decades?
For registration, please follow: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xfV--GZSSwOqBi3-jH9TFg.
Program
11.00 h Welcome
Dr. Hardy Ostry
Director
European Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
11.05 h Statement
Valdis Dombrovskis
Executive Vice-President
European Commission
11.20 h Discussion and Q&A, commented and chaired by
Alexandra von Nahmen
Brussels Bureau Chief
Deutsche Welle (DW)