integration

As part of a “polycrisis”, the threats posed by COVID-19 and Russia's attack on Ukraine have brought questions of “security” and solidarity back into the spotlight of European debates. In the history of the European Union (EU), however,...

This article analyses the strength and resilience of the European Union (EU) after the “Zeitenwende”. The completely new situation of threat emanating from Russia did not lead to the EU falling apart, as might have been expected. To the...

In response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the European Union (EU) has taken short-, medium- and long-term measures in the area of energy policy. They address both the goal of security of supply and sustainability. In doing so,...

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine poses an enormous challenge also for the crisis-tested European Union (EU). The analysis of the impact on its institutional structures shows that so far there has been no radical transformation of the...

The European Council granted the status of accession candidates of the European Union (EU) to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on 23 June 2022, Georgia could soon follow. The urgent calls of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a...

The foreign policy of the European Union (EU) is characterized by a specific systemic complexity and a high degree of institutionalization. This is reflected in the managing of cooperation and diplomacy with other actors in international relations....

The European Union’s (EU) as well as NATO’s internal cohesion and their capacity to act is crucial to meet the security challenges due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The article discusses Hungary’s threats to veto vital EU sanctions...

On 1 January 1994 – almost 30 years ago – the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) entered into force. Its purpose is to create a homogeneous and dynamic economic area between the Member States of the European Union (EU) and the members...

The founding of the European Political Community (EPC) was motivated by both geopolitics and integration policy. This article examines this new format from the perspective of summit diplomacy and as a sub-case of (external) differentiated...

This contribution discusses how the populations of the member states of the European Union (EU) view differentiated integration. I argue that public opinion is not generally positive, negative, or indifferent. Instead, three factors are decisive for...

Differentiated integration is a central feature of the European Union (EU). This article starts with an analysis of current developments in differentiated integration. We observe a trend of consolidation thanks to Brexit, the expiration of...

Recent political science research has shown the increasing differentiation of the European Union (EU) and it has worked out the associated opportunities and risks for effective and legitimate politics in the EU. This raises the question to what...

Constitutional differentiation is often assumed to match perfectly with reality. We argue, however, that this is often not the case in core state powers. Constitutional differentiation often does not lead to the exclusion of the non-integrated...

Since the outbreak of the Euro crisis, there has been a renewed interest by scholars in Germany’s role and power within the European Union (EU). In this broader debate the concept of a German hegemony came to the fore. A full analysis on whether...

Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022 has led to a reorganisation of the European security architecture, which is particularly evident in the North and Baltic Sea regions. Europe reacted to the aggression in a united manner and faced up to its...

fThe European Union (EU) has been facing an energy crisis since the autumn of 2021, which has been exacerbated by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, geopolitical tensions, and the climate crisis. The war in Ukraine has changed European perceptions of...

The rule of law and democracy in the European Union (EU) are under great pressure. Indices measuring the rule of law show that attacks on it are on the rise. In the meantime, the EU has developed numerous instruments to defend the rule of law, but...

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of examples of foreign countries seeking to influence the decisions of the European Union (EU) or its member states in the area of trade and investment policy. Unfortunately, the existing EU...

The Russian attack on Ukraine and the ensuing war entails enormous external and internal challenges for the European Union (EU). First, the war is a conflict between an autocratic regime and the liberal democracies in Europe and the EU. Second, the...

With the Lisbon Treaty, the position of the High Representative underwent an “upgrade” with the aim of increasing the visibility and coherence of the European Union foreign policy. This article continues and expands a study by Nicolai von...