Weekly Geopolitical Report – Could the Coronavirus Pandemic Break Up the EU? – Part II (April 6, 2020)
by Patrick Fearon-Hernandez, CFA
(Note: Due to the Easter holiday, our next report will be published on April 20.)
In Part I of this report we examined the history of the European Union (EU), how it works, and the political, economic, and social fissures that had already rendered it unstable when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. This week, we look at several recent policy moves that various EU countries have taken in response to the pandemic, and we explain why those policy moves could potentially push the EU over the tipping point toward disintegration if they are carried too far. As always, we’ll wrap up with a discussion of the possible economic consequences of a break-up and the ramifications for investors.
The Temptation to Barricade
As we discussed in Part I, the founders of the EU believed that preventing another major war on European soil could be accomplished, in part, by an “ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe.” The EU is often seen mostly as an economic arrangement (i.e., a customs union coupled with a free-trade area), but its founding principles are broader than that. The EU aspires to the free movement of virtually all people, goods, services, and capital. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has tempted EU leaders to erect barriers in these areas.