High-Level Group on post-COVID-19 economic and social challenges concludes its work on how Europe can recover sustainably and promote global stability

The High-Level Group on post-COVID economic and social challenges convened last year by Commissioner Gentiloni has today published its report. The mandate of the group was to reflect on, among others, the implications of the pandemic for the real economy and society, and on how to promote a resilient and sustainable economy. The document puts forth a series of recommendations in five areas to set the Union on a path toward growth and prosperity after the pandemic: enabling the triple transition; fair and effective taxation for the triple transition, moving towards a Health Union, strengthening Europe’s role in the world, and making the governance of the Union fit for purpose. The authors outline a number of measures to enable the green, digital and social transitions, as well as possible actions to mobilise public and private funding for this purpose. The report also highlights the importance of fair and effective taxation and recommends moving towards a Health Union by investing in health system resilience and in boosting preparedness at the EU level and globally. In addition, the document examines how to strengthen Europe’s role in the world and make the governance of the Union fit for purpose, in order to move the EU forward in a more strategic direction. Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economy, said: “I convened this high-level group because I was convinced that the immense challenges Europe faces as it emerges from the COVID-19 crisis are also opportunities that we must seize, to build a more sustainable, more inclusive growth model and to strengthen Europe’s ability to act as a force for good in the world. I want to thank the authors for this tremendous work, which is both inspirational and aspirational. It will greatly enrich our policy discussions in the coming months and years.”The report of the High-Level Group will inform the Commission’s work on the post-pandemic recovery and is available here.