Three doctrines on European foreign policy

• Main Author: Jorgensen, Knud Erik
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Universität Potsdam 2004
• Subjects: Europäische Union; Außenpolitik; European Union; European Foreign Policy; Political science
• Online Access: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-46318; http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2010/4631/

Taking its departure from the debate on the Iraq war, the article examines three so-called „doctrines“ on European foreign policy. According to the first one, there is no such thing as an EU foreign policy. This may come as a surprise for policy-makers but is a common view among media commentators, analysts and some diplomats. The second doctrine holds that the EU’s foreign policy has been, is, and always will be a failure. Reasons for this gloomy view show considerable variations and are most likely unsustainable in the long run. The third approach is more optimistic, counting on the EU’s material volume, yet often ignoring the need to politically cash in if international clout is the quest.