COVID-19 and its implications for the future global influence of the European Union

On January 30, 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as constituting a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). With little information on how to diagnose, treat and safeguard people against the disease, countries around the world responded to the outbreak differently depending on the national context. As vaccines were rolled-out and economic measures were put in place, varied speculations started to emerge on the geopolitical implications of these measures for the European Union (EU). This paper examines some of the views from the growing body of literature on the future implications of COVID-19 on the EU’s integration, and more specifically, on whether the EU is likely to emerge as the most influential powerhouse in the post-COVID-19 world. The paper argues that, based on the current conjecture, one cannot confirm the possibility of the envisioned future given the many hurdles that the EU must first deal with before being able to don such a crown.