The European Movement International position
With coronavirus cases rising
across Europe, leaders have no time to waste and must coordinate their
strategies. As we argue in
our policy
position on “A European Response to COVID-19”, it is paramount
that the EU strikes a balance between protecting citizens' safety,
physical and mental health, and fundamental rights. Care and
support should be accessible to all citizens during a health crisis,
especially the most vulnerable. Not only would
unilateral, uncoordinated measures put lives at risk, they undermine
the trust of citizens, who rely on effective measures and access to
accurate and unbiased information.
The virus cannot be banished
behind borders, and potential new restrictions to the
freedom of movement should not hinder the functioning of Schengen and
of the internal market in the EU. Last but not least,
the second wave
should also prompt more proactive crisis communication by EU
institutions and national governments, thereby reinforcing solidarity
and coordination between Member States.
