Geopolitical implications of COVID-19: a wake-up call for multilateralism
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6. Juli 2020 In Aktuell, EN

Geopolitical implications of COVID-19: a wake-up call for multilateralism

Reforms and more resources will be needed if Europe wants to have a say on the international stage, said the participants of a hearing in the Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday.

Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs discussed the geopolitical implications of the COVID-19 crisis with invited think tank experts and EU civil servants on Monday.

The Foreign Affairs Committee’s Chair, David McAllister (EPP, DE), pointed out that the crisis has brought with it new geopolitical dynamics, adding that this is a wake-up call for multilateralism and a chance to push for reforms of the multilateral cooperation: “The current crisis will have lasting effects on the geopolitical environment. Traditional US leadership fades away and China is becoming an increasingly assertive global player. At the same time, the COVID-19 crisis has amplified some worrying tendencies in the world. The deterioration of democracy and fundamental freedoms, intensifying state-led disinformation campaigns or isolationism puts the global political order at risk. As a result, the international scene is becoming gradually more confrontational and protectionist.”

Discussing the intensification of the negative trend of great powers rivalry, the participants contemplated on where the EU needs to position itself on the world stage together with the US, China and Russia. They pointed out that projects such as the Team Europe package were the right answer to the crisis, since it has an impact on the ground, with institutions and member states combining resources.

The rapporteur for the report on the foreign policy consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak (in the making), Hilde Vautmans (Renew Europe, BE) warned that the crisis has revealed the EU’s dependency on third actors in certain strategic sectors. But these actors don’t always share the same political values that the EU does. Multilateral organisations, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), also depend on these third actors, for example when it comes to information sharing. She also stressed that Europe will need more resources if it wants to fight disinformation successfully.

Background

This hearing was one in a series of discussions and exchanges of views that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has been actively holding since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.

The pandemic has had profound geopolitical consequences affecting key aspects of EU foreign policy, including relations with major global powers, humanitarian aid, development and peacekeeping, and the fight against disinformation and cyber-attacks.

Guest speakers during the hearing were: Sven Biscop, Director of Europe in the World Programme at the Egmont Institute, Florence Gaub, Deputy Director of the EU Institute for Security Studies and Stefano Sannino, Deputy Secretary General for Economic and Global Issues at the European External Action Service (EEAS).

You can watch a video recording of the meeting here.