Covid-19 e finanza UE. Il Recovery Fund e le altre misure a confronto come piano di rinascita per l'Europa

The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) showed a lack of European cohesion, which brought up questions pertaining European solidarity. As much as the temporary suspension of European constraints and the measures outlined in the Next Generation EU Plan (NGUE) have been warmly welcomed, many issues related to the incomplete information about COVID-19 still remain, casting fears of potential loss of Member States’ sovereignty. Against this backdrop, the main objective of this analysis is twofold. First, it aims to analyse the structure and the functioning of the Recovery Fund, as well as the three pillars of the Recovery Plan, the core of which is represented by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Second, it is projected at comparing the advantages and disadvantages of adopting NGUE Plan or the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Moreover, the study will investigate the main measures adopted to support businesses and workers both at European and National level (such as the European Investment Bank Fund and the Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency). The main findings suggest that Europe should not rely on short-term measures that have limited duration. Rather, it should attempt to grasp the opportunity to take that long-awaited step towards economic and social integration.