Long lenient toward China, Europeans have recently taken a firmer approach. Beijing’s conduct during the Covid-19 pandemic and its general intransigence have had a lot to do with this.
China’s attempts to promote its actions and model of governance while discrediting the EU are not a short-term response to the pandemic, but part of a long-term strategy to build its international power.
In January Airbus agreed to pay nearly 4 billions euros to settle bribery charges. Theories developed by criminology researchers explain how the firm was able to operate so long with such impunity.
In Namur, Belgium, archaeological excavations were almost buried for good under the cover of lockdown. The incident draws attention to weaknesses in archaeological heritage protection systems.
The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare Europe’s vulnerability to drug-supply disruption. Still, it remains by far the world leader in pharmaceutical products.
Despite the transnational dimension of the Covid-19 crisis, transnational responses are facing many obstacles. Yet, some regional organisations might be able to expand their mandate and resources.
Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement and Director of the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity, University of Birmingham