The European Commission is proposing a 2.4 trillion EUR recovery plan to kick-start the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown. When such vast quantities of money are invoked, however, financial transparency is crucial. Transparency should be ensured at all levels of society, starting at the highest. How can the EU ensure the sound use of its funds whilst respecting the national sovereignty of its member states? What sort of conditionality should the European Commission attach to this new wave of funds? Should the EU close its eyes to these practices as long as some of the funds reach and benefit large parts of the population? The European Liberal Forum believes that ensuring sound spending and transparency in the use of European funds needs to be put on the agenda before the Commission’s recovery package makes its way into accounts across Europe.
Time: 12h30 – 13h30 (CEST)
Opening remarks by:
Daniel Kaddik, Executive Director, European Liberal Forum
Moderated by:
Beatriz Rios, EU Affairs Reporter
Speakers include:
Katalin Cseh, Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe Group
Nicholas Aiossa, Deputy Director, Transparency International EU Office
Mark Schelfhout, Acting Director, Audit, Evaluation and Communication (Dir. G), DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
This event will be recorded and live-streamed on the European Liberal Forum Facebook page.
On the Agenda is the latest online webinar series created by the European Liberal Forum. It aims to build on the success of the Liberties in Lockdown series, which looked at what liberties/freedoms were put under lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. While the world is trying to recover in the aftermath of this health crisis, this is the moment to shape what the EU and its member states are putting on their agendas in the short, medium and long-term. Join us online, every second Thursday, to understand, discuss and challenge the most important topics that were or were not put On the Agenda.
