‘No person and no place left behind’: compatibilities and inconsistencies of the EU Green Deal and the Next Generation EU in a post-Covid scenario

Abstract

[Excerpt] The EU Green Deal and associated initiatives, namely the Circular Economy Action Plan and the new EU Biodiversity Strategy, form part of the core of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and Recovery Plan (i.e., Next Generation EU). These action plans are critical for the recovery of the European Union (EU), yet the future remains uncertain, as the two frameworks are difficult to reconcile. Whereas the Green Deal puts the EU on a path towards environmental sustainability, the Next Generation EU program remains a contentious proposition, as several inconsistencies have already been identified. In addition, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, regional and local authorities (RLAs) are being called upon to ensure that the Recovery Plan is realized with due haste, but the EU still lacks a coordination mechanism that can explicitly provide for their involvement in the preparation and implementation of National Recovery and Resilience Plans