Transnational Networks and EU International Cooperation: In Pursuit of Effectiveness

The book evaluates the EU's ability to act internationally and coordinate policy in a time of shifting demands,such as global sustainable development,multilateralism,and the changing geopolitical order. It analyzes the networks of officials and policy professionals in EU development policy and concludes that EU policy coordination evades intergovernmental control and depends on the efforts of member state officials to defend their priorities and identities. It also shows the need to better understand the EU as a collective international actor.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The European Union (EU) faces significant challenges in its ability to act internationally and coordinate policy in a rapidly changing global landscape. These challenges include global sustainable development, the complexities of multilateralism, and the shifting geopolitical order. In response to these demands, this book provides a timely evaluation of the EU's capacity to engage internationally and coordinate policy.

The book explores the networks of officials and policy professionals involved in EU development policy and offers theoretical insights into the dominant processes that shape EU governance in international cooperation. It assesses the role of these networks in policy coordination and concludes that EU policy coordination evades intergovernmental control. The agency of EU institutions, therefore, depends on the efforts of member state officials to defend their priorities and identities.

Furthermore, the book emphasizes the need to better understand the EU as a collective international actor, beyond the widespread focus on institutional adjustments that often fail to produce the intended outcomes. It sheds light on the complexities and dynamics of EU foreign policy-making and highlights the importance of a more holistic approach to understanding the EU's role in the global arena.

This text will be of paramount interest to scholars and students of European and EU politics, EU foreign policy, EU external relations, and international relations and international development more broadly. It offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the EU in a rapidly changing global context and provides a comprehensive analysis of EU policy coordination in international cooperation.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367561628