The conflict between the EU and its member states over the formation of Single European Voice in World Affairs

Abstract

EU’s foreign policy and determinants of the external policy of the EU are actual topics in the field of international relations, due to its role in world affairs as a global actor. Most research focuses on separate analysis of historical development, theoretical overview of the EU in general. International literature has dedicated very little attention to theoretical and empirical analysis of the EU foreign policy. Also due to its character of being latest and ongoing, the topic “The conflict between the EU and its member states over the formation of Single European Voice in World Affairs” forms research gap and this study could provide a new perspective. This research project thus seeks to identify the determinants of the EU external policy. To start, the historical development of the EU, analysis of grand theories, and specifying the appropriate one to identify feature of EU’s current foreign policy activities. Shortcomings of CFSP/CSDP and predominance of member states in the formation of unified foreign policy will be examined. In the end, the determinant of European foreign policy by examining one of its common policy activities – EaP and EU-Russia relation in this context will be presented.