Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a series of empirical studies that assess the role played by the European Parliament (EP) at the global level. It discusses the EP’s activities towards nuclear non-proliferation. The book also provides an economic and financial overview of how the EP is managing the current European crisis due in part to the world economic recession. It explores the EP’s role as an international environmental actor. The book considers how the EP has been engaging with other regional parliamentary organs in Africa. It analyses the diplomatic role played by the EP in Kosovo. The book focuses on the conflict dynamics, including the ‘Turkish factor’. It emphasizes that the EP suffered several geopolitical constraints which often pushed it to abdicate in favour of other actors.