Introduction

This book examines the European Union’s (EU’s) norm and policy diffusion in relation to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). By looking at the EU’s engagement with ASEAN in trade and security, the book analyses the drivers, processes, and effectiveness of the EU’s norm and policy diffusion in ASEAN and explains the EU’s foreign policy and power projection in the context of its relationship with ASEAN. This introductory chapter sets the scene for this book by providing an overview of the academic debates on the EU’s normative power and norm diffusion in global politics and EU–ASEAN relationship. The chapter also explains the objectives and methodology of this volume.