The Global Security Strategy launched in June 2016 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security, Federica Mogherini, is key to addressing global pressures in a world undergoing continuous transformation and change and in which this 27-member state political system strives not only to adapt but also to play a more decisive role, now and in the future, on the global agenda. This book aims to introduce readers to the theory and practice of the EU’s External Action, which is based on the principles and values that guide it and that it aims to promote throughout the world: democracy, rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, solidarity, respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and International Law. And, specifically, it aims to introduce readers to the intricacies of EU policy and its role in the Mediterranean, bringing them closer to a comprehensive analysis of the links between the Union and its southern neighbours, with a special focus on the European Neighbourhood Policy and the impact of energy supply and the environment on security and defence. The reflections presented here aim, through the dissemination of the results of the main activities of the Jean Monnet Module “ThEUMed”, to draw the attention of EU policymakers on the southern border of the Union in order to strengthen common understanding between its Member States on the issues of the South and with the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries to address new challenges in the fields of cooperation and international security and defence in the region. Thus, they include the observations of the main members of the academic team of the project and two course graduates. We hope not to leave readers indifferent and that they enjoy reading this volume.

In a world characterized by persistent local and regional conflicts, policymakers and professionals in current affairs and security studies are increasingly challenged. From the ongoing war in Yemen to the complex civil war in Syria and the recent third Nagorno Karabakh Conflict, the global landscape is shaped by violent disruptions that demand a nuanced understanding. Geopolitical tensions, humanitarian crises, and the intricate interplay of international actors necessitate a comprehensive guide for those seeking to navigate this complex web of challenges. Analyzing Global Responses to Contemporary Regional Conflicts emerges as a beacon of insight and a tangible solution to this urgent problem. This edition is a crucial tool for academic scholars and professionals, providing readers with the knowledge necessary to comprehend the complexities of global conflicts. By drawing on geoeconomics, geopolitics, security studies, and humanitarian perspectives, the book explores the roots of competition and cooperation among states but also critically examines conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and the role of key international entities. It goes beyond mere analysis, offering a roadmap for a more peaceful and stable future.

This book examines the European Union’s contribution to providing security in Europe amidst an increasingly complex and challenging environment. In this new and comprehensive guide to the EU's role in security since the end of the Cold War, the authors offer an explanation of EU internal and external security regimes, and argue that the Union has become an important exporter of security within its region. However, the Union’s rhetorical ambitions and commitments continue to outstrip its capabilities and it lacks both a common conceptualisation of security and a meaningful, shared strategic culture. Drawing extensively on primary sources the book examines the Union’s relations with the US and Russia in a time of shifting geostrategic calculations and priorities. With the EU capacity for enlargement slowing, this text presents a detailed assessment of EU security policies towards Central Europe, the Mediterranean, the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and South Caucasus. European Union Security will be of interest to students and scholars of the EU, security studies, and international relations.

This book offers a legal analysis of the European Neighbourhood Policy (the ENP) as it applies to developing relations with the EU's neighbours. It explores the legal aspects of this policy, including ENP competence matters, institutional arrangements and substantive policy issues, using international relations theory as the starting point in defining the EU's role as a political actor. The book focuses on the adequacy of the ENP legal framework for transposing the EU's democratic values and upholding its political image. In this connection, the book also features an analysis of EU democratic values as they are intended to be understood by its neighbours. The relevant legal framework of this policy and its implementation in the states of the South Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan) is evaluated, revealing the effects of the ENP in their democratic processes and the shortfalls of the ENP conditionality.

Should the European Neighbourhood Policy stop at the borders of the European Union’s immediate neighbouring countries? This book is the first full length study of the ’neighbours of the EU’s neighbours’, a concept originally introduced by the European Commission with reference to Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. These regions in the EU’s broader neighbourhood are often perceived as an ’arc of crisis’ from which manifold challenges emanate for Europe. This timely book takes stock of the state of the EU’s cooperation with the neighbours of its neighbours and explores how the concept might help promote security, stability and prosperity beyond the countries which are formally part of the European Neighbourhood Policy. How can the EU create bridges between these regions? What instruments does the EU have at its disposal and how can it link them in order to respond to the challenges and overcome the current fragmentation? One of the conclusions is the suggestion to consider a pragmatic ’EU Strategy for the Neighbours of its Neighbours’ which addresses the needs of the broader EU neighbourhood in a more systematic and consistent manner and helps transform in the long run the ’arc of crisis’ into another ’ring of friends’.

European Foreign Policy in an Evolving International System provides the reader with an updated assessment of European Foreign Policy fifteen years after Maastricht. The contributions analyze the level of policy convergence achieved by EU member states in crucial areas and regions of the world.