The double-edged sword of EU crisis integration: A comparative study of the effects of COVID-19 EU health integration of vaccines on member state vaccination

Over the last decade, EU crisis integration has proven to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the multitude of crises that the EU has faced has precipitated further integration and centralisation of power for the EU, but on the other hand, they have equally contributed to massive social disruption and led to a decline of trust in the EU. The COVID-19 crisis has forced the EU to articulate its health policies and make progress on health integration. However, the effects and success of EU health integration measures is yet to be determined. This paper focuses on vaccination and vaccine policies which have traditionally been under the purview of member states’ public health, but which were adopted by the EU during the pandemic and embedded into multiple health integration initiatives. The paper utilises comparative case study methodology as it analyses a cross section of five EU member states to establish the effects of EU health integration on the national COVID-19 vaccination and vaccine policy.