How did the European Union respond to the Covid-19 pandemic? The first part of the paper analyzes the logic of the EU’s multi-level politics as it relates to the relationship between national and supranational decision-making in an international emergency. Attempts on the part of the EU to increase its powers largely failed while member states were essentially left to their own devices, also due to the uncertainty of the situation and the diversity of local conditions and preferences. The second part deals with the apparent absence of the EU in the global politics of “biosecurity”, which is largely dominated by the United States, its global pharma industry and, to an impressive extent, by the U.S. military establishment. In this context, the paper summarizes the present state of the international discussion on the origin of the new coronavirus and on the virological research conducted, among other places, at the Wuhan virological laboratory.
Related Articles
Politico: Parliament adopts transparency rules on MEPs meeting lobbyists
This is still not a law, so let us see how it ends. Otherwise a step in the right direction. Read here
France 24: Estonian government in crisis as coalition crumbles
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on Friday called for talks on a new government after her ruling coalition fell apart, urging unity because of security concerns over neighbouring Russia. Read Here
The Independent: Reject austerity to defeat populism, Portugal’s socialist prime minister António Costa tells EU
March 15, 2018
Mathew D. Rose
Austerity, Economics, EU politics, EU-Institutions, Finance, National Politics, Neo-Liberalism in the EU
0
Portugal has abandoned austerity – maybe not in a radical manner – but even then the nation’s citizens and economy are faring much better than it ever did under austerity. Read here
Be the first to comment