Tackling the first one, we daily realise our interdependence and the importance of standing united. Faced with a sanitary threat, the EU has demonstrated that it can rapidly act to protect our fundamental rights and values by using an interdisciplinary approach to deal with an event of unprecedented complexity.

Tackling the second challenge, Climate Change, is by no means less important nor less urgent: on the contrary. Climate Change could follow a course similar to the coronavirus outbreak, its escalation and exponential consequences will be out of political control regardless of national borders. As there will be no vaccine for the environmental degradation and the number of victims will be far greater, there is a pressing need to face this multifaceted threat, even faster and more drastically than the COVID crisis.