Arnaud Schwartz: "Health, ecological, social, and economical crises: let's cooperate for a liveable world"

A far cry from inward-looking nationalism and the temptation of authoritarianism, cooperation on a European scale is essential. It is vital that countries work together to combat the virus and to tackle its causes and consequences, especially as future pandemics – just like pollution, climate change and the biodiversity crisis – know no borders.

Europe has powerful levers for putting the general interest back at the heart of the continent’s development. By improving the Green Deal, the Common Agricultural Policy and the multiannual financial framework (MFF) we could effect a major shift in European and national projects and financing to ensure that Europe, a world leader, takes the path towards a liveable world.

Prioritising cooperation over competition and moving from an individual to an international scale is far from plain sailing. Looking out only for our own interest seems so comfortable. Faced with this temptation, we must remember that this short-termist vision will lead to our downfall: it will come back to us with a violent boomerang effect. These are historical crises, the challenge seems immense and we will not be able to deal with it alone.

My call is clear: to get out of these crises we need to set aside our selfishness and cooperate in the general interest. Take care of yourself, your loved ones, strangers in need and the living environment around you, and let's try to expend our energies on ensuring that we come out of these unprecedented crises on top.