The 14th Brussels Wednesday Social, organised by the European Movement International in partnership with Forum Europe, with the kind sponsorship of METRO AG, and featuring European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, was held online on Wednesday, 8 July 2020.

The pandemic confronted Europe with the risk of a considerable economic downturn. This real and present danger has led many to argue for a coordinated and substantial recovery package, that will allow EU member states, companies, and citizens to weather the storm. But the debate has become polarized and agreement on the size, type, and financing of that package remains elusive. Nevertheless, unless the EU acts in a coordinated manner and is able to respond decisively to the challenge ahead, the consequences can be dire for all.

With a variety of proposals on the table, this event explored what is the best way to ensure that the EU’s response is proportional to the current crisis and appropriate for the circumstances EU member states face.

Panel discussion speakers:
Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economy, European Commission
Clotilde Armand, MEP (Renew Europe), Committee on Budgets (BUDG), European Parliament
Olaf Koch, Chairman of the Management Board, METRO AG

Event moderated by Joe Lynam, BBC journalist & presenter

The event brought together EU institutions, member states, and stakeholders in an effort to find common ground so the EU is able to rise to the occasion and put in place the necessary measures to shield itself from the economic downturn and build the foundations for financial, fiscal and monetary stability in the years to come.

Find out more about Wednesday Socials here and continue discussions on Twitter with the hashtag #WSBRU (@EMInternational, @ForumEurope, @METRO_Politics).

The event is part of a series of discussions entitled ‘Prospects for Europe’, launched in March 2017 by the partners of the Wednesday Social, with the aim to foster debate on an innovative and sustainable vision for the EU, involving stakeholders from civil society, political institutions, and the business community.

In partnership with

With the kind sponsorship of