Europe’s Integration Challenged
06 June 2016
The crises sweeping Europe represent a series of multiple shocks challenging the European project. On the occasion of the wiiw Spring Seminar, we devoted a short video clip to these challenges.
Refugees, Ukraine-Russia, economic crisis and a threatening Brexit referendum – Europe has recently been facing a number of severe crises. After a long integration process, clear tendencies towards disintegration of the European Union have now come to the fore.
We asked three insiders for their personal assessment of the major European integration challenges: Professor Michael Landesmann, wiiw Scientific Director, points to a wide-spread feeling of insecurity being a major reason for the loss of confidence in European institutions. Dr. Danuta Hübner, Member of European Parliament and Former European Commissioner, considers the rise of populist parties a major threat of the European project. Mag. Hannes Swoboda, wiiw President and Former Member of the European Parliament, sees the answer to the multiple challenges in a stronger policy coordination at the European level.