The international relations of the European Union

Abstract:

The apparent impotence of the EU over the Iraq war and the disparate approaches by Member States has underlined the need to develop a common approach to external relations. This work explores the EU role as an international actor.

The book is organised over nine substantive chapters with a conclusion. Chapters one and two cover the historical evolution of the EU's international relations. Chapter three looks at post-Cold War EC/EU competencies, key external relations policies and instruments and the Union's presence in the wider world. The security and economic aspects of the post-Cold War EU-US relationship are examined in chapters four and five respectively. Chapter six explores the security relationships with the Central and South-Eastern European countries. Chapter seven considers the EU economic ties within the 'Euro-Med Agreement', with Central and Eastern European countries and EFTA members. International relations in a global context are the feature of chapters eight and nine. The former explores the EU relationship with Russia, prospects for a strategic partnership with China, and the question of failed states such as North Korea. Chapter nine looks at the EU's economic relationships with the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries, Latin America and the Far East (mainly Japan but also China) and ASEAN (the Association of South-East Asia Nations). The conclusion assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the EU's external relations and points the way forward for the EU as a global economic and security actor.

The work will interest scholars and students of European Union Studies and International Relations.

Steve Marsh is Director of European Union Studies at Cardiff University. Hans Mackenstein is Professor of International Business at Aachen University of Applied Sciences.