The Entire World’s a Stage: the EU’s Strategic Presence in the Contemporary International Arena

In the last ten years, an exceptional and diverse series of impacting events—international terrorism, violent conflict situations, war, environmental and natural crises, coups, assassinations and international disputes and challenges—have unfolded. As higher expectations of international bodies in responding to emerging challenges within the international system continue to surface, the shifting structures of actors that deal with those challenges can be readily observed. With the global conflict map undergoing strident change, the focus of strategic analysts is shifting to the global role of the European Union (EU). The EU is seen, more than ever, as a viable and legitimate player that can appropriately respond to existing and anticipated crises in a coherent and coordinated manner, particularly with the application of military force. This article addresses the shifting power structures of the EU as it becomes oriented toward a more unique role that utilizes a ‘soft-hard’ power duality, and current challenges to EU security. It addresses the emerging role of the EU as an international player and examines several cases of EU intervention in distant theatres of operation.