A fairer future

The research sector must reshape itself for a post-pandemic future

At its heart, the EU is rooted in the belief that—whatever our differences—we are stronger together. After witnessing Brexit and the rise of nationalism, the return of border controls, however necessary to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, has felt like another step further from how the EU should be.

But there have been encouraging signs of the kind of Europe that could emerge from the Covid-19 crisis. Last week, ministers acknowledged that the EU must give “much higher priority” to health, as they gave initial backing to a €9.4 billion programme covering areas including disease prevention. Meanwhile, industry ministers backed a proposed recovery plan that puts green and digital initiatives at the heart of efforts to help the economy.