The European Union and the Return of the Nation State

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiii

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2. The EU, the Nation-State, and the Perennial Challenge to European Integration

   • Antonina Bakardjieva Engelbrekt, Karin Leijon, Anna Michalski, Lars Oxelheim

   Pages 1-26

3. The EU Hybrid: Incrementalism with Democracy?

   • Torbjörn Bergman, Magnus Blomgren

   Pages 27-57

4. When the Return of the Nation-State Undermines the Rule of Law: Poland, the EU, and Article 7 TEU

   • Andreas Moberg

   Pages 59-82

5. The Refugee Crisis and the Reinvigoration of the Nation-State: Does the European Union Have a Common Asylum Policy?

   • Magnus Henrekson, Özge Öner, Tino Sanandaji

   Pages 83-110

6. Brexit and the Survival of the Union

   • Rikard Forslid, Sten Nyberg

   Pages 111-138

7. EU Tax Law and the Return of the Nation-State

   • Cécile Brokelind

   Pages 139-164

8. The Euro and the Nation-State That Never Disappeared: Would Europe Benefit from the Return of National Currencies?

   • Fredrik N. G. Andersson

   Pages 165-189

9. Sanctions Against Individuals and the Rule of Law: Can the Member States Let the EU Decide?

   • Jane Reichel

   Pages 191-217

10. Europeanisation and the Longevity of the Nation-State: Survival by Transformation?

    • Malin Stegmann McCallion

    Pages 219-239

11. The Dream of the Nation-State: Is Regional Secessionism a Threat to European Integration?

    • Niklas Bremberg

    Pages 241-267

12. Back Matter

    Pages 269-275

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This book explores the complex and ever-changing relationship between the European Union and its member states. The recent surge in tension in this relationship has been prompted by the actions of some member state governments as they question fundamental EU values and principles and refuse to implement common decisions seemingly on the basis of narrowly defined national interests. Furthermore, Brexit forces the EU for the first time to face the prospect of a major member state preparing to leave the Union. Are these developments heralding the return of the nation-state, and if so, in what form? Is the national revival a lasting phenomenon that will affect the EU for a long time to come, or is it a transitory trend? This book takes an interdisciplinary approach to answer these questions. It brings together scholars from economics, law, and political science to provide insights into the multifaceted relations between the Union and its member states from different perspectives. All chapters are based on up-to-date research findings, succinct assessments of the current state of affairs and ongoing debates about the direction of European integration. The book concludes by offering policy recommendations at European and national levels.

• European integration
• nation-state
• supranationalism
• intergovernmentalism
• populism
• EU hybrid
• Madisonian democracy model
• Article 7 TEU
• European Commission
• Court of Justice of the European Union
• Rule of Law
• Refugee Crisis
• Schengen Agreement
• Brexit negotiations
• Euroscepticism
• Fiscal Union
• Eurozone
• GDPR
• Europeanisation
• regional separatism
• european union politics

“2019 will be remembered as the year when European integration was challenged more than ever before. This publication is both timely and relevant as it highlights the national debates that in one way or another will shape the future of the EU: Brexit, claims for regional independence and right-wing nationalist/populist parties’ growing success in elections in many EU member states. It is an honour for me to warmly recommend this book to scholars, and in particular, to legislators on national and community levels.” (Cecilia Wikström, former member of the Swedish Riksdag and member of the European Parliament for ALDE)

“This is a timely publication focusing on contemporary challenges to European integration, and the prospects of an 'ever closer union'. Its great strength is its interdisciplinary approach and the quality of the analysis. For all interested in the future of European politics, this book provides important new insights and perspectives.” (Adrian Hyde-Price, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden)

• Faculty of Law, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

  Antonina Bakardjieva Engelbrekt

• Department of Government, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

  Karin Leijon, Anna Michalski

• University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

  Lars Oxelheim

Antonina Bakardjieva Engelbrekt is Professor of European Law at the Faculty of Law at Stockholm University, Sweden, and Chair of the Swedish Network for European Legal Studies. She was Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Professor of Legal Science (2015-2018). Her research is in the area of European economic law with an interest in processes of Europeanisation and globalisation and their influence on national law and institutions.

Karin Leijon is a researcher at the Department of Government, Uppsala University, Sweden. She is Coordinator for the Swedish Network for European Studies in Political Science (SNES). Her research focuses on judicial politics, European legal integration and public administration.

Anna Michalski is Associate Professor in Political Science at the Department of Government, Uppsala University, Sweden, Associate Senior Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, and Visiting Scholar at Hong Kong University. She is Chair for the Swedish Network for European Studies in Political Science (SNES). Her research focuses on European foreign policy, EU-China relations, strategic partnerships and socialization in international organizations.

Lars Oxelheim is Professor of International Business and Finance at the University of Agder, Norway, and Professor Emeritus at Lund University, Sweden. He is affiliated with the Research Institute of Industrial Economics, Stockholm, Sweden, and Honorary Professor at Fudan University, Shanghai, China. His research focuses on the interplay between the firm and its macroeconomic environment encompassing economic and financial integration as well as managerial aspects, corporate governance and risk management.

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