Refugee Crisis in the European Union Countries: Problems and Consequences

The article presents the results of a study of the negative impact of the European migration crisis (European refugee crisis) on various spheres of European society and the societies of individual EU countries (using the examples of Germany and Poland). The research methodology involves identifying current problems of Ukrainian migrants, assessing the socioeconomic situation of EU citizens, assessing the impact of the migration crisis and identifying mechanisms for reducing its negative impact using sociological and expert survey methods. A comparative analysis of the features of the European migration crisis of 20152016 and the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine in 2022 was carried out. The main negative consequences of the migration crisis for Europe are identified as: a gradual decline in the economy and inflationary processes, rising prices and housing rents, and overloading of the social security system, social services, healthcare and the labor market. It is noted that, on one hand, the sociocultural proximity and similarity of democratic, humanistic values Ukrainians and Europeans share contribute to the integration of Ukrainian refugees in host countries. On the other hand, the positive attitude of national governments and citizens towards Ukrainian refugees can strengthen the process of intolerance towards other refugees of culturally different countries, therefore acting as a factor of internal political and inter-ethnic conflicts. The following mechanisms have been identified to reduce the level of the negative impact of the migration crisis on the EU: economic (redistribution of the EU budget in accordance with the number of refugees in the host country, investing in the restoration of Ukraine after the war); international legal (improving international legislation regarding refugees); political (updating and developing a strategy for the EU migration policy); social mechanisms aimed at social support for refugees.