ABSTRACT
Since the end of the Cold War, the European Union (EU) has tried to accompany the so-called third wave of democratization processes in a number of countries, and has projected itself as what some scholars refer to as a 'normative power Europe'. As a consequence of the new geo-economic scenario, some of these emerging powers have dramatically increased their roles as international donors, competing with traditional Western donors such as the EU and the US. The root causes of this global phenomenon are complex, multifaceted and inextricably linked to structural changes in global politics and global economy. While the concept of human rights emanating from International Human Rights Law is somewhat well-established, the conceptual approach to democracy is still plagued by vagueness, inconsistencies, ambiguities and competing visions. The EU must practice what it preaches if it wants to be considered as a credible global actor in the field of human rights and democracy promotion in third countries.
