1

The European Union in International Politics –

What Kind of an Actor?

Dr. Michael Meimeth

2

Introduction

The purpose of the European Integration

to make war impossible between the states of Europe

to promote peace, stability and welfare among the European nations

to promote a stable and peaceful international order

3

Introduction

The purpose of this lecture

how does the EU‘s self-image as an international actor look like?

does the EU‘s self-image correspond to its specific internal structure and purpose?

does the EU have a distinctive quality in terms of an international actor?

4

Introduction

The topics of this lecture

European Union – a civilian power in international affairs?

European Union – a great power in international affairs?

European Union as an international actor – trends

EU in international politics – what kind of an actor?

5

I. The European Union as a Civilian Power

1. Definitions

a state or a group of states long of economic power and relatively short on armed forces committed to „domesticate“ relations betweenb states (Duchêne, 1973)

an actor which uses civilian means for persuasion, to pursue civilian ends, and whose foreign policy decision-making process is subjected to democratic control (Smith, 2004)

6

I. European Union as a Civilian Power

2. Features

willingness to constrain the use of force and to focus primarily on economic means

willingness to strengthen multilateral cooperation

effort to promote of democracy and human rights both within and between the states

effort to promote non-violent conflict resolution and –management

effort to promote social equality and sustainable development

7

I. The European Union as a Civilian Power

3. Purpose

… is to „domesticate“ international relations:

multilateralism replaces unilateralism

rule of law replaces traditional power politics

promoting supranational structures by transforming the notion of sovereignity

transcending the „Westphalian System“

8

I. The European Union as a Civilian Power

4. The EU should be a Civilian Power

because of its unique and innovative internal political and institutional structure

otherwise it would give up the key values of the European Integration process

9

I. The European Union as a Civilian Power

5. The EU could be a Civilian Power

although still a major actor in international politics, the role of the state has been weakened

globalisation and interdependence as the dominant features of the international system

security is becoming more and more comprehensive

10

I. The European Union as a Civilian Power

6. The EU is a Civilian Power

EU excercises influence and shapes its environment through what it is rather than what it does

EU has specific structural power to shape its international environment

EU‘s international role is based on an anti-hegemonic philosophy and is seen as a „force for good“ in the world

11

I. The European Union as a Civilian Power

7. The Problems

ignoring the strategic-political context of the European Integration

overstating the importance of the rule of law

depending on a shared understanding about the global role of the EU, its values and ideas

being largely reductionist

12

II. The European Union as a Great Power

1. Features

full spectrum of power resources

prominent role of military power

willingness and ability to use hard power resources coercively

willingness to assume international responsibility

special contribution to international order

13

II. European Union as a Great Power

2. The international context matters

states are operating under the conditions of anarchy

anarchy leads to a permament security competition

states cannot escape from anarchy

balancing is the predominant tendency in international politics

states have a strong interest in shaping a benign international environment

14

II. The European Union as a Great Power

3. The virtues of anarchy

specific distribution of power between states conditions and constrains the formation of specific balance-of-power systems

balance-of-power systems contain tendencies for dominance in international politics

balance-of-power systems provide favorable conditions for stable cooperation in international politics

15

II. The European Union as a Great Power

4. The EU‘ s Purpose as a Great Power

Europe as a „third force“ between the US and the USSR

the EU as an answer to challenges of globalisation

the EU as a balancer of the „unipolar moment“

the EU as a contributor to a stable multipolar pluralistic and cooperative world order

the EU as an autonomous actor in military crisis management on its own terms and resources

the EU as a provider of stability in its near abroad

16

II. The European Union as a Great Power

5. Problems

concept of great power is to much focused on EU‘s ability to build up its military capabilities

concept of great power requires a full statehood of the EU

developing into a great power the EU might contribute to a more conflict prone international system.

17

1. EU as a civilian power:

eschewing traditional power politics acting as a „force of good“ in the world EU is playing a distinctive role in international politics

2. EU as a great power:

reacting to the pressures of the international system balancing policy an important feature strong interest in shaping a benign international environment by

using intruments of coercion and consent EU is acting as a „normal“ power in international politics

The European Union as an international actor – two perspectives

18

III. The European Union as an International Actor - Trends

1. The EU in the Global Economy

European Single Market as the largest internal economic market in the world

EU of 27 is one of the most important trading blocs in the world economy

EU is speakingwith one voice in dealing with third countries and international organisations

EMU and Single Currency as an increased leverage in the international monetary system

19

III. The European Union as an International Actor - Trends

2. The EU in international diplomacy

major progress on the institutional level in the last decades

significant political moves in the last decades

significant gaps and shortcomings in the field of CFSP

20

III. The European Union as a International Actor - Trends

3. The EU as a Military Actor

decisions to create and improve EU‘s military capabilities

major peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations in the Balkans and in Africa

European Security Strategy (2003) and Report on the Implementation of the European Security Strategy (2008) as key documents

21

III. The European Union as an International Actor - Trends

4. The EU as a Military Actor

ESS and Report of 2008 as key documents of the CFSDP

EU as a global actor in international (military) crisis and conflict management

EU as a unique actor in the management of international security issues

EU as a comprehensive actor in the management of international security issues

22

III. The European Union as an International Actor - Trends

5. The EU as a Military Actor

ESS and Report of 2008 – comprehensive but ambiguous

EU‘s comprehensive security approach: lowest common denominator, result of a lack of resources or based on a sustainable consensus?

CFSDP: primarily normative-idealistic or primarily interest based?

EU: regional power or global player?

23

III. The EU as an International Actor - Trends

6. Shortcomings

intergovernmentalism instead of supranationalism

heterogenity instead of homogenity

national european visions instead of genuin european visions

24

IV.EU as an International Actor – Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

1. Why France and Germany?

Franco-German understanding vital for any progress in the European Integration process

France and Germany pretend to assume a leadership role in European affairs

France and Germany differ on major issues on EU‘s international actorness

25

IV. EU as an international Actor – Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

2. Major differences between France and Germany

concerning the structure of the world order: multipolar or multilateral?

concerning the importance of military power in international politics

26

IV. Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

3. Why should the world be multipolar – the French perspective:

counterbalancing the unipolar moment in world politics promoted by the US

counterbalancing the unilateral moment in world politics promoted by the US

stable world order must be based on a number of regional poles

27

IV. Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

4. The Franco – American dispute – the reasons

similar goals but competing desires to lead

different approaches to international issues and problems

constant power imblances in favor of the US

28

IV. Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

5. The dilemma of the multipolar conception

EU has to be developped into regional pole

EU as a regional pole only in consent with France‘s European partners

29

IV. Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

6. Multilateral and not multipolar – the German perspective

strong preference on promoting a cooperative multilateralism in world politics

polarity or multipolarity is of secondary importance

30

IV. Diverging Concepts in France and Germany

7. Franco-German differences on the role of military power

France – military power a crucial component of its security policy

Germany – still reluctant in using military power

Germany – participation in collective military operations primarily influenced by political considerations

ubiquity of risks (Germany) versus strategic axes (France)

Diverging strategic cultures in the public

31

V. Conclusions

The EU – what kind of an international actor?

EU is not and will not develop into a great power!

EU is a civilian power by purpose!

EU is a civilising power provided with strong structural power and the attribute of a regional collective hegemon!

32

V. Conclusions

The EU as an international actor – where do we go from here?

the relative decline and weakness of the EU member states will be strongest input for improving EU‘s international actorness!

While EU‘s overall capabilities as an international actor will substantially grow in the future, its behaviour will not fundamentally change!