About: COVID-19

The future of work in the EU – Challenges in a fast-changing world
The way we work, and our societies more broadly, are undergoing fundamental transformations in a context of globalisation, demographic changes, and the rapid advance of technologies.
Future of work – how has the COVID-19 pandemic re-shaped the agenda?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries had experienced transformations in their labour and jobs markets as a consequence of technological progress, climate change, globalisation, and shifts in demography.
Shaping the agriculture of tomorrow – How can farmers and consumers benefit from a reformed CAP?
In 2020, the agricultural sector faced unprecedented challenges due to the Covid-19 crisis. From logistical issues, a shortage of workforce, to radical changes in demand, the sector showed its resilience by adapting to the different challenges. Overall, the impact of...
Global Europe: Is the EU serious about engaging with Africa?
The EU and African Union seek to make up for the time lost in 2020 by accelerating talks on a new strategic partnership covering political and economic cooperation. But some are asking whether the EU’s plan to strike a strategic...
Tweets of the Week: Vaccine diplomacy, massive boat stuck, lockdown
Vaccine diplomacy is going très mal, massive boat gets stuck in the Suez canal, and lockdown is a blow to everyone’s morale.Promoted content

Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety at the Global Plasma Summit
Remarks on establishing a reliable supply of therapies, the urgent need to increase plasma collection across the EU, and the impact of the COVID-19 on the plasma donation system (as of October 2020), presented at the Global Plasma Summit.
Tweets of the Week: MEP Sex Party, Brexit Tunnel and Vaccination Plans
MEP makes hasty exit, there’s still no movement over Brexit, and new Covid vaccine the UK gets it.
Tweets of the Week: Rule of Law, Brexit mascot and vaccine efficacy claims
Hungary and Poland scupper rule of law aims, Brexit talks seem to be going down in flames, and vaccines efficacy sparks spurious claims!
2020 – The ‘perfect storm’ for Europe’s SMEs?
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Europe’s economy. They represent over 90% of all businesses in the EU. They employ around 100 million people, account for more than half of Europe’s GDP and play a key role...
Food production and the trade map: buying local vs buying global
The ongoing health crisis has reinforced those voices calling for a greater degree of self-sufficiency for the European Union, in anything from raw materials to medicines. When it comes to food production, the concept of a shorter supply chain had...
Rural vs. city: how do consumer preferences differ when it comes to food?
Consumers play a key role in the EU’s new flagship food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy, which works to encourage consumer uptake of healthy and sustainable food options as part of the strategy’s overall goal to improve the viability...Promoted content

Meet our Members: Back2EU
Though the coronavirus is still on our radars, countries have been gradually easing lockdown all over Europe and getting back to work, even going on holidays, and reuniting with their families. The Martens Centre wants to hear from its like-minded...
Europe’s tourism dilemma explained
Empty squares, deserted beaches and cancelled trips - the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown Europe’s tourism industry into chaos. Will we be able to go on holidays this summer? Will Europe’s travel industry survive the pandemic? And what is the EU doing in all this?
Lenarcic: Some wrongly believed they were ready to fight COVID-19
The European Commission has been calling for preparedness against the pandemic since day one in January, the EU Commissioner for crisis management, Janez Lenarčič, told EURACTIV in an interview.
COVID-19: EU’s plan to save the economy
The European Commission estimates the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak could be greater than the financial crisis in 2008. In order to keep the economy running, the EU executive introduced flexibility for funds and national expenditure, member states approved...
COVID-19 should not become a security crisis, NATO chief warns
"We have to deal with COVID-19, but at the same time, we have to make sure that the health crisis doesn't become a security crisis," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told EURACTIV in an interview about NATO's crisis response and threat preparedness, China's role and the pandemic's impact on the military alliance.
Iberian stories on European cohesion
Looking back thirty years, one can find images like those seen today on the Spanish-Portuguese border. Crossroads under surveillance, roads shut down… images that only the elderly remember and that will soon be forgotten again. Thousands of Spaniards and Portuguese...
‘Don’t panic about COVID-19, learn from Latvia,’ says Pabriks
“Resilience is about education. COVID-19 will not be the last emergency faced by Europe,” said Latvian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Artis Pabriks. “We must all learn from this, change our mindset when it comes to crisis management, educate...