The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the EU’s economy and society in general. To help repair the damage it has caused, the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU leaders have agreed on a recovery plan that will lead the way out of the crisis and lay the foundations for a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe.
The EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027 (referred to as the Multiannual Financial Framework or MFF) coupled with NextGenerationEU, a €750 billion temporary recovery instrument, will be the largest stimulus package ever financed through the EU budget. A total of €1.85 trillion will help rebuild a post-COVID-19 Europe. NextGenerationEU will be channelled through the MFF, particularly in the years 2021-2023. It will help repair the immediate economic and social damage brought by the coronavirus pandemic, kick-start the recovery and prepare for a better future for the next generation.
The NextGenerationEU instrument will have three main pillars:
NextGenerationEU will specifically support COVID-19 recovery through the Recovery & Resilience Facility in the form of loans and grants, REACT-EU (an extended crisis response initiative), and a new health programme called EU4Health.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU with €672.5 billion in loans and grants available to support reforms and investments undertaken by EU Member States. Its aim is to mitigate the economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic and make European economies and societies more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions.
Key Points:
How will it impact Irish civil society organisations?
In February 2021, the Department of the Taoiseach held a public consultation on Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Businesses, representative bodies, and members of the public were asked to submit their ideas and proposals. The Wheel made a submission which highlighted that the plan for Ireland must include allocated funding for the community and voluntary, charities, and social enterprise sector’s recovery from COVID-19. Ireland's final recovery and resilience plan is published here.
EU4Health is the EU’s funding programme for 2021 – 2027 to build resilient health systems and promote innovation in the health sector. By investing €5.1 billion, it will become the largest health programme ever and will provide funding to EU countries, health organisations and NGOs. EU4Health aims to make the EU population healthier, support the fight against cross-border health threats and boost the EU's preparedness and capability to respond effectively to future health crises.
Key Points:
How will it impact Irish civil society organisations?
EU4Health will provide opportunities for civil society organisations to access funding to engage in activities which address the programme’s objectives. Other EU funding programmes will provide additional investments in the health sector to complement EU4Health including the European Social Fund Plus and the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Civil society organisations will be able to access these funding streams through various calls for tenders and proposals throughout the 2021-2027 EU budget period.
The REACT-EU (Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe) initiative is an extension of the crisis response and repair measures delivered through the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative and the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus. With a budget of €47.5 billion, it will be one of the largest programmes under the Next Generation EU instrument.
Key Points:
How will it impact Irish civil society organisations?
REACT-EU will provide additional funding to Member States through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Fund for Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). Civil society organisations may be able to access these funding streams through various calls for tenders and proposals throughout the 2021-2027 EU budget period or through engaging with initiatives delivered by these fund’s implementing bodies in Ireland.
Health threats: boosting EU readiness and crisis management
EU4Health 2021-2027 – a vision for a healthier European Union
Decisions that are made at the EU level can have a big impact on our daily lives. At The Wheel we believe that citizens’ active participation in society is vital so they can play a part in influencing the decisions that affect them.
Here’s how you can connect with the EU:
Together.eu is an online community of pan-European active citizens interested in learning from each other and finding common ground on EU issues. Created by the European Parliament during the 2019 European elections, together.eu encourages everybody to participate in democracy through virtual events and activities.
In the lead-up to May 2019, volunteers helped raise awareness about the issues that matter most to them, their friends and families. From climate change to data protection, thousands of EU citizens throughout Europe organised activities, events and debates to remind others that participation in pan-European platforms is essential to dealing with today's challenges.
Check out the latest events organised by the European Parliament and the together.eu community, happening online and across Europe, by joining together.eu here.
Following the European elections in May 2019, 11 MEPs representing Ireland's three constituencies, Dublin, South and Midlands-North-West, took their seats in the European Parliament on 2 July 2019 for Parliament's 9th term.
With the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 31 January 2020, Ireland gained an additional two MEPs. Barry Andrews (Fianna Fáil/ Renew Europe), Dublin, and Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael/ EPP), South, took up their seats in the European Parliament on 1 February 2020.
Who are your MEPs and how can you contact them? We have gathered the information for you here.
Through involvement in EU-funded projects, you’ll deliver on current EU policy and programme goals while helping to shape future policy.
Learn more about the various EU funding programmes and the projects they support here.
