The EU Arctic policy and its critique: a view under Tocci´s theory on foreign policy and normative power (Part 1)

• Main Authors: M. Elvira Méndez-Pinedo, Alesia Fralova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bucharest University of Economic Studies 2019-06-01
• Series: Juridical Tribune
• Subjects: Arctic; EU policy; normative foreign policies; Tocci´s theory
• Online Access: http://www.tribunajuridica.eu/arhiva/An9v2/6.%20Mendez-Pinedo.pdf
• ISSN: 2247-7195; 2248-0382

What is the role of the European Union (EU) in the Arctic region? On what basis does it claim influence and/or authority (if any) over part of this vast area of the world? What can we learn about EU Arctic policy, tools and instruments adopted so far? Is the EU a normative foreign policy actor as described by Tocci´s theory? What factors do influence the adoption and validity of EU policies in this region? This study tries to reply to all these questions casting a light over an area of great geostrategic importance and at the crossroads of historic developments. In a first part we study the current EU Arctic policy and assess its strength and weaknesses according to literature. In a second part we summarize Tocci´s theory on kinds of normative policy actors and examine what kind of power is the EU exercising in the region.