EUROPEAN UNION ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

The EU is facing crucial external challenges for its present and future stability, security andprosperity. The instability in the Middle East, terrorism, the global warming and environmental changeissue, the world’s growing economic globalization and its outsiders, or the political and economicalcompetition with the Chinese and Indian giants leading to increasingly rival partnerships must beproperly understood and assessed in the full extend of their implications and consequences, andaddressed by appropriate policies. But the future of EU’s role as an international actor is also beingdecisively shaped today by the challenges the EU faces from its Eastern neighborhood which are likelyto have fundamental long term economical and political consequences on the EU. These challengesdirectly influence EU’s stability, security and prosperity and ability to be an international actor capableof identifying its interests, and successfully pursuing or protecting them.