Statehood and Sovereignty:
The Difficult Equilibrium between European Union
and Member States in Crisis Management - Refugee Crisis and Brexit
Evangelos Venizelos
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Greece (2011-2012, 2013-2015),
Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013-2015), Minister of Finance (2011-2012),
Minister of Defense (2009-2011), former Leader of PASOK (2012-2015).
He currently serves as a member of the Greek Parliament.
Professor of Constitutional Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The notions of statehood and sovereignty form the common denominators of Europe's two major issues, the Brexit and the refugee crises as well as the field of tension for the achievement of equilibrium between the EU and its Member States in crisis management. Unilateral reactions by Member States in the management of refugee and migration flows prove that ineffectiveness at the EU level leads to the reemergence of the Member States as the critical entity taking measures, while the decision in the European Council of 18-19.2.2016 on Britain's special status is a classic example of intergovernmental negotiation and compromise. The various crises thus constitute the field in which the historical procedure of a constant, open negotiation is continued. Nevertheless, experience underlines the importance of European integration and the demand for significant political initiatives to be undertaken in the direction of its resurgence.
[The author would like to express his thanks to Panagiotis Doudonis for his contribution to the English version of this text.]
