This article elaborates on the development of the Visegrad group (V4), consisting of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, in relation to the European integration process in the aftermath of its many crises. The article suggests that the so-called migration crisis that started in 2015 for the V4 countries constitutes a situation that, in the existing literature, has been described as a postfunctionalist moment. However, in the V4 countries a postfunctionalist moment does not merely suggest reluctance to agree to further integration and in general a turn to EU criticism, but a strengthening of the four countries' shared V4 identity as well. To elaborate on the way that the V4's handling of the migration issue contributes to V4 identity-building, the article argues that the postfunctionalist literature needs to be supplemented by insights from social constructivism. The article utilises a narrative analysis to examine the way that a V4 identity is under construction.

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on social norms in IR. The intention is to further specify how social norms influence state behaviour. The empirical material consists of a case study of how the Czech Republic has participated in EU policy making in the field of environmental policy. The paper first discusses the different reasons for why member states adapt to EU norms: i.e. rational conditionality and constructivist social learning. The former of the two is viewed as typical for the pre-accession period whereas the latter is important for our understanding of the post-accession period. In order to outline the actual socialization process a detailed case study of how the Czech Republic has dealt with two different EU policy initiatives (REACH and the climate-energy package) is presented. The conclusions suggest that even if we can find indications of socialization the process is complicated by a strong presence of competing norms.

The article summarizes the ideological points of departure, the domestic political context and the key priorities of the Czech Republic’s European policy since 2007. We have identified three most important (and most controversial) topics: 1) the Czech EU presidency, 2) the Lisbon Treaty and 3) the eurozone. The most significant event for the country during the period was the Council Presidency in 2009; which actually delivered some concrete results but will probably most be remembered for the accompanying domestic quarrels. The Lisbon Treaty ratification exemplified the divisions among the country’s political elite; with a powerful group of euro-sceptics who advocate the loosening of the European integration and who are increasingly opposed to the Czech Republic’s participation in EU’s (or eurozone’s) policies. The eurozone crisis hardened Czech opposition to euro. The majority of politicians and the general public intend to remain outside of the euro-zone, the country is moving in the direction of ‘splendid isolation’.