ABSTRACT
The European Union (EU) and the European Communities (EC) have
been important actors on the world stage because they have dealt with
the external trade policies of their member states. The EC/EU have
negotiated in trade rounds and signed trade agreements and treaties.
Since its creation in 1993 the EU has had an increasing presence in
world affairs because of the political strength of its collective mem-
bership, and this has been demonstrated in its Common Foreign and
Security Policy (CFSP) and its involvement in defense and security issues.
