How do third actors impact on EU policies towards authoritarian regimes?

This paper explores to what extent the EU’s policies towards authoritarian states are influenced by third actors and their policies towards a given state. Rather than focusing on concepts like cross-conditionality, which assume that the EU has a democracy-promotion policy towards a state, the focus is on those factors determining the decision by the EU to promote democracy or not at an earlier stage. Does the EU marginalise democracy promotion towards a given state because of the (perceived) competition of third actors? The paper explores under which conditions this happens (e.g. proximity, trade interests, security agenda, etc.) and how rational arguments (maximising benefits and minimising losses) and self-conceptions of identity and ideas co-determine the outcome. Particular attention is paid to the choice between active democracy promotion towards one group of authoritarian states and the choice for functional cooperation with others.