Solidarity - a forgotten European value or panacea to the EU crises?

Abstract

The European Union has been facing a cyclus of serious crises for about 8 years already. All of them have weakened not only the EU as a whole but also each of the Member States separately. This has caused two serious consequences being a subject of this analysis, namely 1. it has challenged the value of solidarity lying upon the European integration concept, 2. it has also undermined the EU’s pursuit of achieving the competitive advantage, stated in the strategy Europe 2020. The lack of solidarity is particularly visible in the EU Member States’ differentiated attitudes towards the migration crisis while reduction of determination in achieving competitive advantage is strongly related to consequences of the EU’s economic crisis, threats for the single market (i. a. limitations within the Schengen zone), finally possible Brexit. The paper will focus on analysis of solidarity in the light of intergovernmental approach in the EU crisis management. The above-mentioned emanations of the crisis will serve as case studies in this regard.