By Jean-Dominique Giuliani*
Most of the world’s leaders have been pushed to take exceptional measures, shutting down the economy, social life and, in brackets, our freedoms.
On the European continent, this was done, as usual: each state wanted to decide for itself, but ultimately the decisions went roughly in the same direction, with one exception however, the closing of borders. There followed a deep disorder, the observation that the virus had no nationality and totally unnecessary differences: this is called “Europe of nations”!
The second movement was more generous. The Central Bank set the tone and the European Commission was there. European safety nets have enabled unprecedented mobilization of impressive financial resources. All the resources of the common institutions have been called upon, their programs, their funds and their procedures. In total, the Union and its member states have already mobilized potentially over 3.5 trillion euros.
It remains for it to decide how it will express genuine solidarity between its members when it has to adopt its budget for the next 7 years. Some have been more affected than others by the pandemic and their fragility due to the virus risks dragging Europe and the euro. France and Germany suggest that the common institutions go into debt to help them.
70 years later, it is, in fact, the Schuman declaration of May 9, 1950 that still shows us the way: “(…) Europe will be achieved through concrete achievements creating de facto solidarity”. This is what the two nations behind the construction of Europe are proposing today.
Solidarity in the euro and in the Union already exists. To weaken is to weaken. Let those who hesitate do not forget what they owe to the internal market, European rules, common expenses, the solidarity of the allies after the Second World War… And that the European Commission is up to the challenges , because it is no more and no less than rebuilding an economy devastated by its abrupt end.
In the aftermath of the war, the European states only survived thanks to this long-standing solidarity. The same will apply today to build the economy of the future.
*Jean-Dominique Giuliani is Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation
