ABSTRACT
The 2003 European Union (EU) strategy, which sought to promote a universal model of well-governed democratic states, was too idealistic to be practicable. The most controversial value that the EU is trying to promote is democracy. The countries that want to cooperate on democratisation, for example, because they are in the midst of a transition to democracy, can of course ask the EU for expertise and support. The Global Strategy does indeed say that “European security and defence efforts should enable the EU to act autonomously while also contributing to and undertaking actions in cooperation with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation”. Ultimately, democracy and human rights go hand in hand, but in the framework of a sequential approach to equality, human rights can and must be on the agenda from day one of any diplomatic relationship.
