Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago

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The EU was arguably ill prepared to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered Europe’s most serious socioeconomic crisis in living memory. In particular, the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable groups in society, widening already existing inequalities, with the number of children living in poverty in the EU increasing by 19% in 2020 alone. While governments did their best to respond to this unprecedented challenge, mistakes were made, exacerbating an already difficult situation. So what could the EU have done better to support children and how can it respond more effectively to future pandemics?
Drawing on the findings of the EP’s COVI report and the IMF paper on ‘Rising Child Poverty: Mitigating the scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe’, this joint EPRS-IMF event will examine the EU’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss how to strengthen its preparedness for future health crises whilst ensuring an inclusive child-focused approach. Othmar Karas, EP First Vice-President, will open the event and introduce senior economist Jean-Jacques Hallaert and economist Iglika Borissova Vassileva who will present the IMF study. This presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion with MEPs Kathleen Van Brempt and Dolors Montserrat, chair and rapporteur, respectively, of the former Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, EPRS policy analyst Susanna Tenhunen, and Margherita Leone, senior advocacy adviser Save the Children Europe.

IMF study Rising Child Poverty: Mitigating the scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe: imf.org/-/media/Files/Publications/WP/2023/English/wpiea2023134-print-pdf.ashx

European Parliament resolution of 12 July 2023 on the COVID-19 pandemic (2022/2076(INI)): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0282_EN.pdf

Speakers include:
Othmar KARAS, MEP, First Vice-President of the European Parliament
Kathleen VAN BREMPT, MEP, Chair of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic
Margherita LEONE, Senior Advocacy Adviser, Save the Children Europe
Jean-Jacques HALLAERT, Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Iglika BORISSOVA VASSILEVA, Economist, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Susanna TENHUNEN, Policy Analyst, Ex-Post evaluation Unit, EPRS
Moderator: Christiaan VAN LIEROP, Strategy and Innovation Unit, EPRS

EPRS publications related to this event:
European public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons for future cross-border health threats: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2023/740218/EPRS_STU(2023)740218_EN.pdf
Parliamentary oversight of governments' response to the COVID-19 pandemic: literature review: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2023/740217/EPRS_STU(2023)740217_EN.pdf
Health-related measures in the national recovery and resilience plans: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)753932