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European Disintegration

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In the past few years, and particularly in the context of a number of crises shaking the foundations of the European Union (Eurozone, Schengen and Brexit crises), the number of academic publications and political debates on European disintegration has grown considerably. However, a standard definition, or a theory, of ‘disintegration’ is still lacking.[1] While the Eurozone crisis did not show any real signs of disintegration, the Schengen crisis displayed considerable disintegrative features. Brexit, however, can to date be regarded as the prime example of European disintegration.[2] It seems that crises and disintegration are linked in such a way that a crisis often precedes and eventually triggers disintegration. (Dis)integration processes result from potentially politicised cost‐benefit assessments of international cooperation.[3] While for a long time, the attempt to try and raise efficiency and thus, attain economic standards within the European Union mainly favoured further European integration, in recent years, Eurosceptic, populist, and nationalist movements have questioned the size and distribution of these efficiency gains and the EU’s output legitimacy, while politicising the costs and questioning the legitimacy of integration in terms of a loss of autonomy and sovereignty.[4]

Definition[edit]

Simply put, European disintegration can be regarded as the counter-concept to European Integration. It has been argued that European integration takes place in three different forms. First, deepening is when policy competences are transferred from the national to the European level; second, broadening depicts EU competence gains in new policy fields; and third, widening is when the number of EU member states increases through enlargement.[5][6]

To apply a simple definition of European disintegration, which is guided by the political-institutional understanding of European integration, one could define European disintegration as: European disintegration involves the reverse process of at least one of the three dimensions of European integration (deepening, broadening, widening).[1] This conceptualisation allows thinking of European integration/disintegration as a multi-dimensional and two-directional process. Moreover, it conceptualises European integration and disintegration as continuous – not dichotomous, mutually exclusive – phenomena. For comparative reasons, it is important that European integration/disintegration are measured with the help of the same indicators. Lastly, and again with regards to measurability, integration/disintegration should be thought of as outcomes rather than ongoing processes.[1]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Schramm, Lucas (May 2019). "European Disintegration: A New Feature of EU Politics". CEPOB- College of Europe Policy Brief Series. 3 (19).
  2. Huysmans, Martijn; van Kerckhoven, Sven (5 July 2023). "The Causes and Modes of European Integration". Politics and Governance. 11 (3): 1–2.
  3. Gastinger, Markus (September 2021). "Introducing the EU exit index measuring each member state's propensity to leave the European Union". European Union politics. 22 (3).
  4. Vollard, Hans (2018). European Disintegration, A search for Explanations. London. Search this book on
  5. Schimmelfennig, Frank; Leuffen, Dirk; Rittberger, Berthold (2018). "The European Union as a System of Differentiated integration – Interdependence, Politicization and Differentiation". Journal of European Public Policy. 22 (6).
  6. Webber, Douglas (2019). European Disintegration? The Politics of Crisis in the European Union. London. Search this book on


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