In a relatively short period of time, the European Project has faced an incredibly diverse spectrum of crises and challenges. From the Eurozone crisis to the sovereign debt crisis, and from the migration crisis to Brexit, the European Union has found itself confronted with unprecedented internal and external threats and pressures. The Global Strategy of 2016 and the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in the field of defence of 2017 are just two of the new strategies and policies to which it has turned. Whether the Franco-German engine will succeed in surpassing this critical moment and trigger a deep reform of the European Union remains to be seen. Raising its level of strategic ambition, the European Union projects itself as a global actor in the system of international relations, reshaping its ties with the United States, China, and Russia. However, European security, along with the topics of European politics and society, remain subjects of intense debate. This volume offers a number of possible answers to various questions regarding the future of the European Union and its relationships with the rest of the world. Based on a variety of perspectives from international relations, European studies, political science, economics, and cultural studies, the contributions here address the “conundrum” of the EU’s transformations.

This book examines the perception of European Union’s identity by the main actors in international relations. Analysing issues related to public discourse in third countries as demonstrated by, amongst others, their political elites, civil society, and think-tanks, the book highlights a ‘normative gap’ with regards to the European Union's self-definition/perception and its perception in the international environment. It also shows that the European Union’s perception of normative power in international relations is not shared consistently by the main principal actor yet is differentiated relative to geographical area and scope of activities undertaken by the EU. It demonstrates that the perception of the EU’s normative identity is a source of the crisis of the European Union as an effective and significant player in the international arena. This book will be of key interest to scholar and students of European Union politics, European politics/studies, European integration, identity politics, and international relations.

This book critically reflects on the international function of the Bologna Process by exploring motivations and interests behind its ‘global strategy’ as well as how the reforms have been perceived and applied beyond Europe. Since its initiation in 1999, the Bologna Process has evolved into an important example of regional higher education policy coordination. Now with 48 signatory states both within and outside the European Union, the Bologna reforms have pushed forward an ambitious agenda for a European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and the EU specifically as it aims to consolidate its knowledge-economy. Alongside its regional focus, the Bologna Process has also promoted an international reach through its ‘global strategy’. Through this externalisation, the Bologna Process has become a point of reference for higher education internationalisation worldwide Featuring examples of Bologna’s ‘reach’ from Oceania to North America and in between, the book offers a timely contribution to the understanding of the reform’s global influence. As a whole the contributions offer important insights to the understanding and conceptualisation of the EU’s global influence, comparative regionalism and global higher education development more broadly. This book was originally published as a special issue of the European Journal of Higher Education.

This volume analyses the European Union as an international actor, focusing on its role in peace and security. In an international context where the challenges to peace and security are diverse, including the current context of war in Ukraine, this volume theoretically contextualizes the EU in peace and security studies, explores the institutional dimension of its functioning, and interprets the narratives and policies this actor pursues. A set of illustrative case studies seeks to reflect on the dynamics of peace and security within the framework of the EU and its actions/interventions, such as in the Eastern Partnership or in relations with Russia, and in contexts such as growing disinformation or through its presence on a mission on the ground.

This book explores the images and perceptions of the EU in the eyes of their Strategic Partners. Spanning four continents, these ten important global actors – the BRICS together with the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Mexico – are of profound significance to the EU in economics, politics, security and global governance. In 2015, the volume’s editors and contributors were commissioned by the European External Action Service to research these countries’ perceptions towards the EU. The research highlights how in changing multilateral settings, images and perceptions significantly influence the behaviour and foreign policy choices of actors. The findings presented in this book helped to inform the content and focus of the 2016 EU Global Strategy, and will be of interest to scholars, students and practitioners of EU foreign policy, European integration and public diplomacy.

​This book explores the multilayer nexus among inter-related international and regional security parameters that critically define the EU’s rapidly changing security environment. In terms of intensity, complexity and urgency these changes constitute challenges that threaten the very core of European security – both internal and external. In a fluid and transitional international environment of diversified needs and polymorphic threats the space dimension acquires a novel unified meaning. The book closely examines the EU’s current strategic, organisational and defence capabilities regarding global, regional and domestic challenges such as terrorism, systemic instability, global order and a number of crucial hindrances to transatlantic cooperation. The chapters offer not only valuable theoretical insights, but also unique perspectives on operational and organisational elements of EU applied policies based on the testimonies of field experts. The combination of theory-based approaches and the demonstration of the EU’s operational capabilities and weaknesses as externalized through its global strategy choices provide an overall evaluation of adopted policies and their effects. This is crucial in a global transition period that will define the EU’s role and its potential to produce desired outcomes through synergies with its strategic allies.

The first holistic and thematic study of EU health law, and its implications, through its own internal logics.

This title provides analysis of the EU's human rights commitments through legislation, case law, and policy documents. Key developments to the EU's engagement with human rights, both internally and externally, are examined and it covers the topics of non-discrimination and competition law, migration, trade policy, and development cooperation.

This book provides a timely comparative analysis on the foreign policy of eleven great powers, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s war against the West and the global competition reshaping the world order.

This book tells the story of the EU Global Strategy (EUGS). By reflecting back on the 2003 European Security Strategy, this book uncovers the background, the process, the content and the follow-up of the EUGS thirteen years later. By framing the EUGS in this broader context, this book is essential for anyone wishing to understand European foreign policy. The author, who drafted the EUGS on behalf of High Representative and Vice President of the Commission (HRVP) Federica Mogherini, uses the lens of the EUGS to provide a broader narrative of the EU and its functioning. Tocci’s hybrid role as a scholar and adviser has given her unique access to and knowledge of a wide range of complex structures and actors, all the while remaining sufficiently detached from official processes to retain an observer’s eye. This book reflects this hybrid nature: while written by and for scholars, it is not a classic scholarly work, but will appeal to anyone wishing to learn more about the EUGS and European foreign policy more broadly.