The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges

Strengthening the external action of the Union has emerged as a powerful expectation shared both by a large majority of members of the Convention on the future of Europe, and more significantly by public opinion when it has been consulted on this issue. Although there is a consensual desire for Euro...

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Main Author: Lazăr Comănescu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Institute of Romania 2002-07-01
Series:Romanian Journal of European Affairs
Subjects:
Online Access:https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_Vol2_No2_The_European_Union_as_a_Global_Player_Prospects_and_Challenges.pdf
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author Lazăr Comănescu
author_facet Lazăr Comănescu
author_sort Lazăr Comănescu
collection DOAJ
description Strengthening the external action of the Union has emerged as a powerful expectation shared both by a large majority of members of the Convention on the future of Europe, and more significantly by public opinion when it has been consulted on this issue. Although there is a consensual desire for Europe to speak with a stronger voice in global affairs, the ways and means to achieve this objective still divide those called to clarify the path to be followed. The European Union is already a significant presence in world politics by its considerable share in the international trade, or its dominant contribution to development aid. Many criticise on the other hand the lack of consistency in the more classical dimensions of foreign policy, or the lack of credibility in the capacity to act attributed to the absence of defence capabilities. Such concerns are currently addressed in the larger debate on the future of Europe, either within the dedicated framework, the European Convention convened to design the future of the EU, or outside the Convention, both among politicians and academics. It is generally considered and accepted that Europe will gain in political influence once the unification of the continent is completed, i.e. the current enlargement objectives are achieved. It goes without saying that devising and making operational appropriate instruments and capacities to act coherently outside its borders are a necessity as well. Institutional guarantees that Europe could in the future continue to influence the course of events in world affairs are becoming imperative. This article will explore some of the proposals in that sense. It will also address the place for Romania as a future EU member state in the new architecture of Europe and its possible contribution to the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
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spelling doaj-art-a147f764f8074c88b76b324d4370530b2025-08-20T03:28:34ZengEuropean Institute of RomaniaRomanian Journal of European Affairs1582-82711841-42732002-07-01222230The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and ChallengesLazăr Comănescu 0Ambassador, Ph.D. in international economics, Head of the Mission of Romania to the European UnionStrengthening the external action of the Union has emerged as a powerful expectation shared both by a large majority of members of the Convention on the future of Europe, and more significantly by public opinion when it has been consulted on this issue. Although there is a consensual desire for Europe to speak with a stronger voice in global affairs, the ways and means to achieve this objective still divide those called to clarify the path to be followed. The European Union is already a significant presence in world politics by its considerable share in the international trade, or its dominant contribution to development aid. Many criticise on the other hand the lack of consistency in the more classical dimensions of foreign policy, or the lack of credibility in the capacity to act attributed to the absence of defence capabilities. Such concerns are currently addressed in the larger debate on the future of Europe, either within the dedicated framework, the European Convention convened to design the future of the EU, or outside the Convention, both among politicians and academics. It is generally considered and accepted that Europe will gain in political influence once the unification of the continent is completed, i.e. the current enlargement objectives are achieved. It goes without saying that devising and making operational appropriate instruments and capacities to act coherently outside its borders are a necessity as well. Institutional guarantees that Europe could in the future continue to influence the course of events in world affairs are becoming imperative. This article will explore some of the proposals in that sense. It will also address the place for Romania as a future EU member state in the new architecture of Europe and its possible contribution to the Common Foreign and Security Policy.https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_Vol2_No2_The_European_Union_as_a_Global_Player_Prospects_and_Challenges.pdfcommon foreign and security policyeuropean unionglobalizationromania
spellingShingle Lazăr Comănescu
The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges
Romanian Journal of European Affairs
common foreign and security policy
european union
globalization
romania
title The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges
title_full The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges
title_fullStr The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges
title_full_unstemmed The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges
title_short The European Union as a Global Player: Prospects and Challenges
title_sort european union as a global player prospects and challenges
topic common foreign and security policy
european union
globalization
romania
url https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_Vol2_No2_The_European_Union_as_a_Global_Player_Prospects_and_Challenges.pdf
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