European disintegration: a new feature of EU politics. CEPOB #3.19, May 2019

Schramm, Lucas (2019) European disintegration: a new feature of EU politics. CEPOB #3.19, May 2019. [Policy Paper]

PDF - Published Version Download (518Kb)

Abstract

> In the past few years, and particularly in the context of a number of crises shaking the foundations of the European Union, the number of academic publications and political debates on European ‘disintegration’ has grown considerably. However, a standard definition, let alone a theory, of ‘disintegration’ is still lacking. > Among the most obvious manifestations of disintegration were several crisis-affected policy fields. Whilst disintegration ultimately hardly unfolded during the Eurozone crisis, the Schengen crisis displayed considerable disintegrative features. Brexit, however, can be regarded as the clearest sign of European disintegration. > Disintegration entails high political risks and poses a threat to the overall process of European integration, as it contains many unknown and potentially uncontrollable dynamics. Pro-European integration policy-makers should therefore try to regain control over the political process, for in-stance via a more courageous use of ‘differentiated integration’.

Actions (login required)