The Covid pandemic and the ensuing measures decided at the EU level have surprised political observers and the larger public alike. The historic agreement on the joint issuance of debt through the European Commission and hence debt mutualisation at a large scale send a large signal of increased EU solidarity after a decade of austerity imposed from EU institutions (Schmidt 2020).

The Recovery and Resilience Facility as well as the Green New Deal reveal a much increased aspiration for coordinated investment policies at the EU level. At the same time, European institutions, such as the ECB have been crucial in supporting the European economy through the Covid-crisis, with more sustained interventions likely. Has Covid hence been a breakthrough moment for European integration?

To discuss these issues, this panel invites three prominent experts to speak to these issues, followed by a public discussion.