How not to manage crises in the European Union

Abstract The process of European integration has often been used as either a model or an anti-model for other regional experiences. This article discusses the Union's shortcomings in crisis management, arguing that valuable ‘how not to’ lessons can be drawn by dissecting initial stages eurozone and COVID–19 pandemic ‘moments truth’. main policy mistakes committed at onset both crises are explored devoting special attention to role played hiatus between research policy, well inadequacies, biases hubris academic analyses. Ideally, comprehensive reforms would required equip EU with competences tools needed effective management. concludes that, absence such reforms, only option left policy-makers engaging management will seek pragmatic middle ground supranationalism intergovernmentalism on case-by-case basis.