EU foreign policy : regional success, global failure?

Abstract

The emergence of the European Union as a political union, is a relatively new phenomenon. While the European Union has been an important economic regional organization, for the last 50 years the development of a European political union has been taking place since 1969, when European Political Cooperation was created. Il has been in the last decade or so, that further political integration was sought. The integration of the European Union has created much interest both amongst politicians and the common man in Europe and worldwide. In fact the development of regional organisations around the world is very often attributed to the positive impact that European integration has left on the European continent. The development of a European foreign policy is being increasingly discussed amongst politicians and scholars. As the international order is becoming multipolar, the need for a stronger Europe as a promoter of peace, equality and economic development has increased. This research tries to analyse the factors that have led lo the development of a European foreign policy, and those elements that have contributed to a large measure of success in certain fields, and others that have hindered its progress in other areas. In this respect this research focuses on those areas where the EU has managed to exercise successful political and economic influence while it also deals, with those cases on which the European Union has found difficult to take a common position.