Four major EU crises of the last decade - the effect of chaos or the arrival of the black swan? Impacts of crises on integration dynamics
Abstract
The European Union has been going through a wave of broad-spectrum crises since the beginning of the 21st century. The eurozone crisis, the effects of which are on the EU economy and the integration process as such to this day, is followed by the so-called migration crisis with implications for integration dynamics, the British Brexit referendum and a pandemic crisis that can slow down integration.
Does this development correspond to the concept of chaos or is it the arrival of a black swan? What security challenges have these crises brought? Macroeconomic, geoeconomic vulnerabilities, polarization of member states, decline of EU unity and return to national interests. But also the reassessment of self-sufficiency in strategic zones, issues of strategic autonomy in the field of critical infrastructure.
Fulfilling strategic autonomy is likely to require a shift to majority voting within the EU. The crises of recent years have led to an increase in the EU's geopolitical emphasis, but also to a reduction in democracy and the transparency of democratic systems.