The EU as a Global Actor

Debates around the conceptualization and practice of the EU as a global actor have gained increased centrality in the current context of multi-layered crises. The Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the increasing geopolitical competition between the US and China, are just a few examples. These challenges have also emphasized the need for the EU to reduce vulnerabilities and external dependencies, with current policies geared towards increasing strategic autonomy/sovereignty and resilience as illustrated by the Strategic Compass of 2022. External and internal contestations of the EU’s norms and values have also had a significant impact on the EU’s foreign policy raising issues of effectiveness, legitimacy and credibility of its external action. Increasing investment in defence capabilities, a renewed focus on the enlargement process and the need to revisit its engagement with the neighbourhood are part of the EU’s foreign policy response to both deal with internal challenges and the contested international order. Thus, taking stock of these changing contexts and dynamics is fundamental to grasp the many dimensions of the EU as a global actor. We are interested in proposals that tackle these issues and themes whether in relation to the EU’s external relations, foreign, security or defence policies. This section invites scholars to consider the conceptual, theoretical and empirical implications of the EU as a global actor, in a context of multiple crises and a contested international order. We also invite a broad selection of methodological approaches and contrasting paradigmatic perspectives to consider the EU’s place in the world, its role in meeting specific policy challenges, and the broader set of its global relationships and responsibilities. Papers and panels that look at non-traditional approaches or contribute meaningfully to theory-building and methodological innovation are particularly welcome.