THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION REPORT. Europe in a period of transition

Contents 9 Introduction. The challenges of post-pandemic Europe I. EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP AND THE CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE 15 Improving the democratic foundations of the European Union: bringing the European Union closer to its citizens Mercedes Guinea Llorente 23 The Conference on the Future of Europe: what does it mean, what is its purpose and what can we expect from it José Candela and Carlos Carnero 29 How can participation in the Conference on the Future of Europe be improved for organised civil society and citizens? Patxi Aldecoa Luzárraga 41 European citizens and their opinion on the European project during the pandemic María Adela Pallares II.  NEXTGENERATIONEU AND THE RECOVERY AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMY 49 The EU Next Generation recovery fund, the year of its implementation José Luis Escario 59 The fiscal effort to combat covid-19: Europe and the United States Domènec Ruiz Devesa and Rosa Pérez Monclús 69 Social Europe in action: a new importance in the pandemic after a lost decade Björn Hacker 81 The uneven impact of the pandemic. Prospects for a convergent and resilient recovery of the EU? Marta Galiano and Inmaculada Ordiales III. HEALTH, MIGRATION AND FOREIGN POLICY: PENDING TASKS FOR THE EU 95 European Health Union José Manuel Freire 105 New European pact on migration and asylum Paloma Favieres 111 The future architecture of European security José Enrique de Ayala 121 Recommendations 125 Biographies