As a response to the current crisis, the Open European Dialogue has launched its new OED 120 format: 120 minutes for facilitated online dialogue among members of parliament and a policy deep dive enriched with condensed and highly specialized expert insights.
The COVID-19 pandemic has generated joint European initiatives but has also stirred up a debate regarding the appropriate economic policy response. While the pandemic shock has been symmetric, EU member states have been affected in an asymmetric manner. Efforts to reach decisions at the European Council and Eurogroup have been thwarted by disagreements, and crucial decisions have been further deferred. At this writing, the European Commission has been tasked with formulating the specifics of a European Recovery Fund and is supposed to deliver its proposals by May 6. The exact funding modalities of this new financial instrument, its overall size and composition, its relationship with the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the extent to which the latter will be reconfigured are currently being discussed.
We were joined by George Pagoulatos, Director General at ELIAMEP; Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business; Visiting Professor, College of Europe and Adriaan Schout, Senior Research Fellow at Clingendael; Professor of European Public Administration at the Faculty of Management Sciences of Radboud University in Nijmegen.
