#Covidjournal: Tales on Europe and coronavirus by the youth around the World

#Covidiaro (Covidjournal) is a project originating out of our curiosity to know how the Coronavirus emergency situation in Italy and in Europe was being conceived by other countries, as well as how it was being handled abroad. Therefore, we have asked our friends who work and study in other EU and non-EU Countries to tell us their impressions, and then reported them in these journal pages.

In confronting us with the replies, we have found some common perceptions and also some remarkable differences among them – notably in relation to the crisis management by the EU itself.

Hence, we have elaborated an anonymous questionnaire to invite all those who are willing to give their opinions on the EU’s action to express themselves, in order to stimulate the debate on the role that the Union has had (or should have). From such debate new info-sections will be created below, where we will present an overview of both the actions taken by EU Institutions to face the emergency and the recovery strategies to set the EU back on track after the crisis.

Among the first ones, it is worth mentioning economic recovery programmes aimed at supporting Member States such as SURE – through which the EU integrates national short-term work schemes triggered by European countries in dire conditions. Similarly, the decision to release securities in favour of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESF, EIF) so that creditors can grant loans to industries in a more flexible manner, or that of loosening conditions to grant State aid, are illustrative of Union’s efforts.

As far as health matters are concerned, two EU-level actions also deserve special attention: first, the coordination of the different national measures adopted by each Member State during the crisis via the creation of guidelines and recommendations – which have been elaborated by task forces gathering the best European scientists. Second, to have encouraged scientists to share data and research findings on the vaccine through the creation of the European COVID-19 Data Platform.

But these are just some of the many examples of how the EU has managed to stimulate solidarity among Member States, especially towards the hardest-hit like Italy.

For more details and a clearer understanding of the entire set of actions undertaken by the EU in the economic, health and social domains, please take a look at our info-materials – which we will be publishing throughout May in the sections below.

Don’t forget to express your thoughts by taking our questionnaire: it only takes two minutes!