ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the foundations, both institutional and political, of the EU's international role and impact, and assesses the pattern of issues, interactions and relationships that constitute the substance of the EU's international life. It aims to evaluates the models available to describe and explain the EU's international policy-making. The chapter explores what is the evidence that the EU is moving towards full-fledged 'actorness' in the international arena, adding new focus and impact to its established presence and processes. It also explores what role does the EU play in the new Europe and the new world of the 1990s, and how does that role reflect the unique status of the EU. On the basis of the exploration of these two areas, the chapter projects the possible future development of the EU's international role. The chapter also deals with the practical impact of the common foreign and security policy provisions.
