2020, a call for greater European solidarity was made under the slogan “Gemeinsam – Insieme -Together” which was supported by parliamentarians from all EU member states. Since then, major European programs have been launched to address the economic and social consequences of the Corona pandemic, including the “Next Generation EU” reconstruction fund (750 billion) and the “SURE” program to address unemployment risks resulting from the pandemic. A year after the appeal, the discussion on European solidarity is to be taken further: What is the current state of solidarity in Europe? Do we have a common understanding of solidarity? Where do we need to invest in order to become stronger together? And what role can national parliamentarians play here?

The initiators of this background discussion, the two German MPs Dr. Lars Castellucci (SPD) and Dr. Christopher Gohl (FDP), are convinced that national parliaments need to be involved in the debate on a better, fairer, and more ecological Europe. Therefore, the aim of the background discussion is informal networking and cross-party exchange on this topical issue.