Issue 516 | 01 June 2020

Our cover star this issue is German EPP deputy David McAllister. The Foreign Affairs Committee Chair tells us why, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating current international challenges and highlighting a lack of global leadership, he hopes a more visionary and coherent EU foreign policy will emerge.

In our first special feature, we look at the EU’s SME strategy. Director General of the European Commission’s DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Kerstin Jorna, and shadow rapporteur on the Capital Markets Union and SMEs report, Alfred Sant (MT, S&D), look at how the strategy will support Europe’s small businesses.

In our second special feature on jobs and growth, we look at how the EU can kickstart the economic recovery after the Coronavirus crisis. Featuring the Chair and members of Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová (SK, ECR), Agnes Jongerius (NL, S&D) and Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (DK, Greens/EFA).

Also inside: Antonio Tajani (IT, EPP), Gabriele Bischoff (DE, S&D) and Charles Goerens (LU, RE) discuss the European Parliament’s right of initiative. Sabine Verheyen (DE, EPP) and Romeo Franz (DE, Greens/EFA) explain why the EU needs a Digital Education Action Plan. Vice-Chair of Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee Maria Grapini (RO, S&D) looks at how consumer protection should be adapted in light of the booming e-commerce sector and Sylwia Spurek (PL, S&D) gives her critique of the recently-launched Farm to Fork Strategy.

We also take a look at Parliament’s response to the first EU Green Deal initiatives - the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies - and bring you event coverage of Huawei’s recent Global Analyst Summit (HAS).

Finally, answering our five questions this issue is Croatian S&D MEP Tonino Picula.