Book Description

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) - a consultative body of the European Union that gives representatives of Europe's civil society organisations a formal platform to express their points of view on EU issues and policies - stresses that recovery from the effects of the coronavirus crisis will only be successful if it is accompanied by the restructuring of our economy and society: we need to focus on reconstruction as well as on recovery. We cannot simply restore what existed in the past: we need to adapt and improve it. For the EESC, this will have to be based on the principles underpinning all our work: protecting human and social rights, democratic values and the rule of law, unlocking the full potential of the Single Market, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating a circular economy and achieving climate neutrality in the EU by 2050 at the latest. This brochure presents the EESC's opinions, position papers, resolutions and statements calling for the necessary measures to be taken at EU level, or commenting on those that have already been put forward, in order to tackle the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It demonstrates the important role played by organised civil society representatives during this period in exerting influence on decision-makers, which led to the adoption of a number of important policy and financial packages, including the use of the general escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact, the EUR 540 billion EU safety net for workers, businesses and sovereigns, and the recently proposed EUR 750 billion "Next Generation EU" instrument.