Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book includes a case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which brings a certain depth in understanding of what the EU does in a country in which it has been active for many years. The inclusion of principles in foreign policy, such as Wolfers's 'milieu goals' and Elias's civilizing process, have been applied to the EU's relations with the wider world. Principles in EU foreign policy are the subject of considerable theorizing, including civilian power Europe, a European civilizing process. Normative power Europe, introduced by Ian Manners in 2002, has stimulated extensive scholarship, including the 'neo-normative turn' and the 'third wave' in theorizing the EU's international presence. In Brussels, interviewees included serving and former civilian and from the European Commission, General Secretariat of the Council, European External Action Service, European Parliament, and member state representatives, civil society members, academics and other analysts.