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Introduction
The Foreign Policy of the European Union serves
a dual purpose. On the one hand, it allows the
Union as such to take a stance and act interna-
tionally. It is, therefore, the external expression
of the EU’s very existence. On the other hand, it
projects the external action of the member
states more forcefully. Acting together and in
coordination with the European Union, the
force and effectiveness of European positions
increase. The European Union has clear com-
parative advantages for deploying an external
action with an impact. Its demographic and
economic weight affords it an enormous diplo-
matic influence. The EU is the biggest commer-
cial player on the planet and has one of the
most solid and solvent currencies: the euro. It is
the world’s biggest donor of development aid.
The EU is a key player in keeping the peace and
security of the world and a leading authority on
human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
However, the definition and design of the EU’s
Foreign Policy are complex. Defining the
European interest is not easy, while the different
national interests of each EU country are plain
to see. While the European interest always ap-
pears blurred, national interests are very clear.
That is why, on a good number of occasions and
in the face of the most delicate issues, just when
a common approach in Foreign Policy would be
most necessary, the members of the EU are di-
vided. Moreover, leadership of the Union’s
External Policy has different players. That was
what the Lisbon Treaty (2009) established, gath-
ering the content of the European Constitution
drawn up by the Convention (2003). The
European Council, made up of the Heads of
State and Government of all the member states,
defines the principles and general guidelines.
The High Representative, currently Federica
Mogherini, who chairs the Foreign Affairs
Council made up of the Foreign Ministers of the
EU countries, is in charge of driving the EU’s ex-
ternal action in a consistent manner. To achieve
that, she has the European External Action
Service (EEAS), which acts a diplomatic service
of the European Union through 139 (at present)
delegations and offices spread across the globe.
Lastly, the President of the Commission is also a
EU 2016: another step
to being an important
global power
José Manuel Albares and Carlos Carnero