Understanding European foreign policy

Book abstract:

Europe is an economic superpower whose foreign policy has significant effects all over the world. However it is not a state with a conventional government so how is its foreign policy formulated and implemented? In this book the author examines this issue with three objectives. First, it tries to understand Europe's relations with the rest of the world as a new area of foreign policy activity in contemporary world politics. Secondly, it looks at whether a common European policy has emerged or is emerging. Thirdly, the author outlines a foreign policy analysis approach and applies it to different types of European foreign policy.

The book defines basic concepts such as 'What is Europe?' and 'What is European Foreign Policy?'. It then analyses Community foreign policy followed by an examination of European Political Co-operation (EPC) and its replacement in the form of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union. Each of these chapters has a case study and has sections such as the Policy Context; Actors and Policymaking and Capabilities and Instruments. A case study of British foreign policy is conducted to test the idea of the Europeanisation of EU Member States' foreign policy. In addition to analysing if a common European foreign policy has been achieved, the book also analyses whether a common European defence policy has been formed.

The book would be suited to students of European foreign policy or those interested in the adoption of a Foreign Policy Analysis model.

Brian Wilson is Professor of International Relations at Staffordshire University and a Visiting Professor at the University of Toulouse.