ABSTRACT
This chapter develops an analytical framework for evaluating European Union (EU) economic diplomacy as defined in Chapter 1 and illustrated in the four case studies that follow. It does not claim any specific originality, but draws on the existing literature on the EU as an actor and other relevant contributions on the EU’s role in international relations. There are three parts to the framework. The first provides a general typology of EU decision-making and negotiation to guide readers through the description of the decision-making process in each of the case studies. This is really intended for readers who are not familiar with EU decision-making in general or EU decision-making in economic diplomacy in particular. The second section discusses a number of factors – or independent variables – that shape the role of the EU in economic diplomacy. These factors include ‘domestic’ factors such as EU competence, decision-making regimes (both formal and de facto), as well as external drivers, systemic factors and the EU’s relative economic or market power. Sector and member state interests are also included and there is an assessment of EU normative power as it relates to economic negotiations. The case study chapters then use this framework in order to assess when the EU’s role is more likely to be that of an actor and when more that of one forum among others.
