A European Health Union forged in crisis? Explaining European integration in public health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
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2024-08-28
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en
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The domain of health is regarded as a national competence and supranational capacity thus far has been limited. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic a European Health Union has been established. This thesis aims to explain the European integration regarding public health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, a new theoretical framework is developed that builds onto previous work part of the ‘pragmatic turn’ in theorising European integration, utilising elements from neofunctionalism, liberal intergovernmentalism and postfunctionalism. By constructing a new all-encompassing model that can provide an explanation for the dynamic process, static outcome and timing of European integration, this thesis contributes to the current debate. The integration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a case study and did not disprove the model. Acceptance of the member states for a common solution was a necessary condition for further integration, while the outcome of integration mainly built on previous integrative initiatives. The crisis exacerbated existing transnational interdependencies and provided a window of opportunity for supranational entrepreneurship, while the potential for politicisation of decision-making was limited. The interplay of variables in the model is expected to explain different outcomes in European integration therefore further investigation is necessary to confirm its wider applicability.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen