Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an original look at the phenomenon of an expanding EU external action portfolio. It starts from the observation that EU external engagement, especially in areas other than the Common Foreign and Security Policy, development and trade, is profoundly changing. The chapter examines how and why EU external engagement has expanded in scope, and how this has affected the relations between its internal and external policies. It argues that EU external engagement is more likely to emerge in a policy domain, and that the greater the opportunity provided by the external context, the more developed the Union's presence and the stronger the entrepreneurship of actors within the EU that support such external engagement. The chapter provides a synthesis of the findings, identifying patterns emerging from the cases alongside a comprehensive attempt at identifying the key explanatory factors.