The Coronavirus crisis has exposed the flaws of the European welfare states, which have suffered from decades of cutbacks and privatisation, and placed them at the center of societal debates. Thereby, this crisis has also opened up an opportunity for the renewal and strengthening of the welfare systems. This report addresses what a 21st-century welfare state should look like for all of Europe. It advocates a vision of a welfare state that provides equal opportunity for all people to pursue their life goals, in solidarity with others. Particular focus is placed on the question how EU member states, given their different starting points, can arrive at such an ideal form, and which leadership role the Union could take on in this process.