The global outbreak of the coronavirus and the measures to curb its spread have had a major impact on everyone’s lives. The impact varied between groups, sectors and countries, but concerns about the pandemic were widely shared. The corona pandemic made the interconnectedness and dependence between countries clearly visible. The measures, which often served a global purpose, were intended both to prevent the spread of the virus and to mitigate the negative social consequences of the pandemic.
In the literature and policy study ‘Solidarity across national borders during the corona pandemic’, we explore the role of solidarity in corona policy in Europe aimed at protecting the health and social security of citizens. Solidarity is one of the basic values of the system of government services for citizens in the Netherlands and in the European Union (EU). This publication shows that it is important to realize that international social problems, such as the corona pandemic, raise political (distribution) issues. Which problems do you tackle or not, and how? Which risks and burdens do you share (as a society based on policy or citizens), whom do you address and on what grounds?
In a subsequent study to be published later this year, we will explore what citizens understand by European solidarity and how they view the role of the government and their own role.