ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the unintended consequences of interregionalism for the European Union's (EU's) actorness, conceptualised in terms of opportunity, presence and capability. Using the case of EU-Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) cooperation in the field of disaster management, the chapter shows that the EU is supporting the development of an ASEAN regional instrument to better respond to crises in South East Asia. This strategic objective of interregionalism creates an unintended consequence in terms of undermining the quest for global actorness of the EU in the field of disaster management. The chapter first analyses how the advancement of EU actorness in the disaster management field has initially been linked to supporting ASEAN as a rising actor in the area. The chapter then shows that the increasing friction between these two objectives has been having unintended consequences on EU actorness since 2016. The effects are yet to fully unfold for the EU's opportunity, presence and capabilities but are in-built in the current type of interregionalism. The EU, however, has not taken the evolution of ASEAN's own aspirations seriously enough to ensure that ensuing effects will have a positive impact on the EU's actorness.
