'European foreign policy' itself is a contested term, which encompasses both the foreign policy of the EU itself and the foreign policies of European states. 'Foreign policy' is a term that captures the activity of developing and managing relationships between the state or EU and other international actors. Foreign policy can entail the use of economic instruments but its aims are explicitly political or security-related, in contrast with foreign economic policy, whose objectives and means are economic. The EU forms part of a 'foreign policy system', composed of the three pillars of the European Union as well as the member states' foreign policies. The EU itself is made up of three 'pillars', each with different decision-making rules and institutions: the European Community (the 'first pillar'), the Common Foreign and Security Policy (the 'second pillar'), and Justice and Home Affairs (JHA, the 'third pillar', which, however, is set to disappear when the Lisbon Treaty enters into force).
For much of its existence, the European Community conducted 'external relations', meaning primarily economic relations, with 'third countries', or non-members, in Euro-jargon. Foreign policy was coordinated in a separate framework, European Political Cooperation. Although consistency in the output of the two frameworks was sought, external policies rarely incorporated political, economic, and security objectives and instruments. But especially since the European Union's establishment in 1993, external policies have become more encompassing and consistent. However, there are still separate policy-making frameworks – and sometimes consistency and coordination between them is problematic.
The EU's foreign relations have developed to an astonishing extent. The European Community of the 1950s and 1960s had some relations with third countries, namely former European colonies, and was beginning to assert a common stance in international trade negotiations. The European Union at the start of the 21st century conducts economic and political relations with virtually every country on earth, is a major player in international trade negotiations, and is currently engaged in the construction of a common security and defence policy. What accounts for this dynamism? For the most part, the member states: for the last thirty years, they have continuously developed mechanisms for conducting external relations. But at the same time, they have sought to retain control over the process, and jealously guard their own autonomy in the sphere of foreign policy. This tension, between the drive to act collectively on the world stage and the desire to retain national autonomy, has shaped the institutions developed in the external relations field, as well as the outcomes produced by those institutions.
EFPU has compiled a few study aids to help foster an understanding of European foreign policy:
Chronology of the development of EU foreign policy institutions| [PDF]
Chronology of the development of EU foreign policies| [PDF]
List of EU civilian and military missions| [PDF]
Additional information on European foreign policy can be found through these links:
Official EU websites:
Council of the European Union's CFSP website|
Website of Javier Solana, the High Representative for the CFSP|
Website for the Commission Directorate-General for External Relations|
Other useful websites:
European Council of Foreign Relations|
The European Union Institute for Security Studies|
FORNET| (a European-wide network on European foreign policy)
The Observatory of European Foreign Policy of the Autonomous University of Barcelona|
Global Europe |(news on the EU's foreign relations)
ISIS Europe| publishes a regular online newsletter European Security Review
Centre for European Policy Studies|, Brussels (see, in particular, their regular 'European neighbourhood watch' newsletters)
Centre for European Reform|, London
European Centre for Development Policy Management| (Maastricht, Netherlands)
The study aids are in PDF format so you will need to download a free Acrobat Reader from Adobe if you don't already have it.
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