Europe as a Stronger Global Actor: Challenges and Strategic Responses (European Administrative Governance)

This Book Considers The Principal Challenges Facing The European Union, Which Has Been Buffeted By A Series Of Profound Crises, Both Internal And External. These Range From The Future Of Ukraine, The Union’s Reactions To China’s ‘one Belt, One Road’ Initiative, How To Help Stabilize Countries To Its South, And Relations With The United States. The Core Argument Is That The Eu Lacks A Meta-narrative That Could Indicate Priorities And Linkages Between The Various Continental, Regional, National And Thematic Strategies. As A Result, The Eu Often Appears To Be A Confusing And Even Contradictory Actor To Many International Partners. In Response To These Challenges The Eu Needs To Develop A Deeper Sense Of Strategic Awareness And Confidence So That It May Give A More Convincing Response To Fundamental Questions About The Union’s Role, Purpose And Identity In A Changing World. -- The Eu's Strategic Unconsciousness And Normative Hubris -- Existential Doubts And Strategic Dilemmas -- In Search Of Strategy -- The Return Of Geopolitics And Relations To The East -- Geopolitics In The Post-arab Spring -- Transatlantic Relations And Europe's Missing Asia Pivot -- Europe's Harder Edges : Security And Defense -- Putting Effectiveness Into Multilateralism -- Strategy, Implementation And Means -- Reconceptualizing The World And Liberal Delusion. Simon Duke. Includes Bibliographical References (page 249) And Index. Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 List of Acronyms 10 List of Figure 12 List of Tables 13 Chapter 1: Introduction 14 Note 25 Chapter 2: The EU’s Strategic Unconsciousness and Normative Hubris 26 Perceptions of the EU: Consensus to Dissensus 26 Still Normative Power Europe (If It Ever Was)? 36 Europe’s Presumed Post-Modernist Turn 41 Conclusions 45 Notes 47 Chapter 3: Existential Doubts and Strategic Dilemmas 48 The Roots of the Union’s Existential Angst 48 The Union’s Strategic Consciousness and Un-strategic Times 53 The EU Process-Led Diplomacy and Audit Culture 61 Comprehensiveness: The New Hobgoblin of Little Minds 64 Conclusion 68 Notes 70 Chapter 4: In Search of Strategy 72 The Strategic Value of Interests 72 The Origins of the Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy 74 Thinking Through the Meta-Narrative: Silver Threads and Compasses 77 Effective Multilateralism and the Rule of Law 82 Conclusions 85 Note 86 Chapter 5: The Return of Geopolitics and Relations to the East 87 Inclusion as Geopolitics 87 Ground Zero: The European Neighbourhood 94 Reassessing EU–Russia Relations 102 Conclusions 111 Notes 113 Chapter 6: Geopolitics in the Post–Arab Spring 115 The Vanished Promises of Spring 117 Reviving the Neighbourhood? 120 The Neighbours of the Neighbours 125 The Southern Neighbourhood and the Arab–Israeli Conflict 130 Conclusions 131 Notes 133 Chapter 7: Transatlantic Relations and Europe’s Missing Asia Pivot 134 Squaring the Circle: Deeper Engagement and More Autonomy 134 Transatlantic Trade Relations and Shifting Global Trade Patterns 139 TTIPing Point? 141 Security Partner or Liability? 143 The Need for a European Pivot Towards Asia and the Dangers of Triangulation 147 More Balanced EU–China Relations? 158 Conclusions 162 Notes 165 Chapter 8: Europe’s Harder Edges: Security and Defence 166 The EU as a Niche Security Provider 166 The Continuing Need for Hard Power and Strategy 167 Mind the Gap: Enabling Capabilities 174 The EDA, PESCO and Battlegroups 181 EU-NATO Relations: Finding a Way Ahead or Mutual Irrelevance? 183 The Common Security Policy—Missing Defence 190 Conclusions 192 Notes 194 Chapter 9: Putting Effectiveness into Multilateralism 195 Europe’s Constitutional Goal 195 Renewing the Old Guard 199 Keeping the Peace 203 Representing Privilege, or Modernity? 204 Conclusions 214 Notes 216 Chapter 10: Strategy, Implementation and Means 217 Implementing Strategy 217 Coordination at the Elite Level and Clusters 218 The European Council to the Fore? 227 The Interstitial External Action Service 229 Effectiveness and Visibility 235 Conclusions 237 Notes 239 Chapter 11: Reconceptualizing the World and the Liberal Delusion 240 Reflection, Not Navel-Gazing 240 A New Social Contract Through Foreign Policy? 244 Strategic Priorities and the EU’s Added Value 248 Geoeconomics and Seismic Shifts 252 Ways and Means 255 Strategy, Strength and Survival 256 Note 257 Bibliography 258 Index 259 "This book provides an incisive account of the dilemmas faced by EU foreign policy whilst at the same time taking a specific and provocative point of view on the credentials of 'European foreign policy'. There is no better-qualified person than Simon Duke to undertake this task, and the book will be much used by both policy-makers and students in the field."--Michael Smith, Professor of European Politics, University of Warwick, UK 'This timely book provides a comprehensive analysis of the strategic challenges the European Union must confront if it is to become a more effective international and regional actor in the post-Cold War world. This extremely rich study includes original insight into the evolution of European Union foreign policy as it seeks to navigate the changing nature of Euro-Atlantic and Euro-Asia relations and manage the aftermath of the Arab Spring moment across the Mediterranean area. An essential read for policy makers, academics, students and anyone interested in achieving a better understanding of the prospects for a more dynamic European Union in contemporary global affairs.' - Stephen Calleya, Professor Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies and Director, Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, University of Malta 'As the world enters a period of power transition, Europe faces greater challenges than at any time since 1945. In this original and lucid assessment of the cards the old continent holds, Simon Duke calls for radical new thinking to face up to a range of internal and external threats that, cumulatively, amount to an existential crisis. The approaches of the past fifty years, from strategic unconsciousness to normative hubris, must be discarded in favor of a far more realistic understanding of the emerging new world order. This book is a much needed wake-up call.' - Jolyon Howorth, Visiting Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Yale University, USA This book considers the principal challenges facing the European Union, which has been buffeted by a series of profound crises, both internal and external. The EU lacks a meta-narrative that could indicate priorities and linkages between the various responses to the global challenges it faces. As a result, the EU often appears to be a confusing and even contradictory actor to many international partners. It will continue to be so unless the EU develops a deeper sense of strategic awareness and confidence so that it may give a more convincing response to fundamental questions about the Union's role, purpose and identity in a changing world. Simon Duke is Professor of European Policies at the European Institute of Public Administration. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. He is Executive Editor of the Journal of European Integration.