CSW

Societal Changes in the European Union after the end of the Covid-19 Pandemic (Editorial)

DOI: 10.22359/cswhi_14_3_01

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the lives of millions of people around the world. The scale of the crisis was such that only the countries united in the Union could provide an appropriate response to citizens and lead the process of international mutual assistance to ensure the supply of safe vaccines to all corners of the world. COVID-19 has led to a crisis in various sectors of public life, such as the crisis in the healthcare system, which provoked a socio-economic crisis in the European Union; The COVID-19 pandemic has called into question the basic principles of the functioning of the EU, in particular freedom of movement within the Schengen area or solidarity in response to common threats; the ability of the EU institutions to provide timely assistance or at least coordinate the responses of Member States in crisis situations; vulnerability of the EU through an information pandemic caused by excessively low-quality false content spread through social networks, influencing public sentiment and political decisions.

But at the same time, the world had to change and it happened. This is the first pandemic fought in the digital age. The EU Digital COVID Certificate has become a global standard. The EU Digital COVID Certificate was an important innovation in Europe's response and quickly became a global standard that helped restore safe international travel. The EU has developed a global standard: in addition to 27 EU Member States, 48 countries and territories outside the EU have joined this system.

Accelerated digitalization and the transition to remote forms of interaction between employers and employees have significantly changed the sphere of social and labour relations. This concerns forms of employment, legal regulation of labour activity, issues of motivation and stimulation of work, working conditions, standardization of labour processes and personnel management procedures. The pandemic has become a factor that has had a significant impact on public sentiment. The results of sociological research indicate that citizens are under conditions of stress and frustration. The adverse social consequences of the pandemic manifested themselves in the growth of public discontent and protest sentiments. This requires proactive efforts to ensure constructive public dialogue and trust. In turn, the active use of digital technologies, the Internet, and social networks during the pandemic has given rise to the spread of false information and information influencing public opinion. The diversity of assessments has led to polarized public opinion on issues related to COVID-19; increases the risk of conflict, violence and human rights violations and threatens long-term prospects for strengthening democracy, human rights and social cohesion.

With another negative consequence that awaited the European Union after COVID-19 and which negatively affects psychosocial well-being and well-being at both the individual and collective (society) levels - forced displacement from combat zones, problems of a socio-economic and humanitarian nature, poverty, stress and mental disorders It was the full-scale Russian armed aggression on February 24, 2022 that disrupted the economic and social development of both the Ukrainian state and has a catastrophic negative impact on the life and health of its citizens, as well as on European countries and their socio-economic situation.

The war in Ukraine has a significant impact on the countries of the European Union: firstly, these are the socio-economic consequences associated with financial, humanitarian and armed support for Ukraine; the energy crisis and restrictions due to sanctions against the russian federation; secondly, security consequences, the essence of which is that the threat of aggression and the example of the use of force against a neighbouring country creates an unstable situation in the region, which influences political relations between European countries, as well as their foreign and security policies; thirdly, the socio-political consequences reflected in changes in public attitudes towards the conflict, changes in interethnic relations, the emergence of new social groups and associations, as well as an understanding of the impact of the conflict on political identity; and, most importantly, the migration consequences caused by a large number of refugees from

Ukraine is in European countries, and therefore needs socio-economic, humanitarian and psychological support from European states and societies.

Our current issue of the journal attempted to publish scientific findings concerning the deepest issues that the countries of the European Union are faced with and to which society is forced to respond in modern times.

Vasyl Popovych

National university, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine