examples from essay plans

EU has comparable economic power with the US

EU has 15.2% of world economy and US has 15.5%

level of economic integration in the EU can lead to instability (due to absence of fiscal union)

2008 economic crisis lead to Greece sovereign debt crisis

Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain

EU can be seen as united on foreign and military terms

Common Security and Defence Policy

Training security forces in Mali 2014

recent EU foreign policy has been more fractured

Germany sought to block the export of weapons to Ukraine was Estonia

Hungary vetoed 6bn euro aid to Ukraine and didn’t sign declaration of support

EU holds significant power in global structures

member of WTO (challenged US on steel and China on textiles) and G20

does not hold a position of power in the UN

only states are members of the P5 and the EU is only granted observer status

shows importance of states

membership of the EU has a large impact on economic sovereignty

19 members of the eurozone

give up ability to independently set interest rates - now set by European Central Bank

states have the right to opt out of the eurozone

Denmark and the UK didn’t join

NATO membership can lead to a loss of foreign policy sovereignty

Article 5 triggered after 9/11

NATOs targets aren’t legally binding

2% target on spending on defence isn’t binding

23/32 countries met the target in 2024

EU has large areas of political competence

competition policy, agriculture and patent laws (copyright)

most regional organisations protect political soverienghty

Arab League - all members have a veto

when regional bodies are united of foreign policy can have global impact

EU $31.5bn support to Ukraine 2022-23

Arab League united on Gaza reconstruction plan

regional bodies usually keep interests to within the block

ASEAN share terror threats to maintain security

EU have deep economic integration can help facilitate trade deals

Trade agreement with Japan 2019

EU has played an effective role if resolving conflict

Good Friday Agreement 1998

Iran nuclear deal 2015

EU lacks unity on military power

reliance on NATO for intervention in Kosovo and Yugoslavia

EU’s focus on soft power can be beneficial

US overused hard power (war in Iraq 2003) and lost legitimacy

ASEAN has created a free trade area similar to the EU

0% duties on products

market value of $2.6 trillion

USMCA isn’t as integrated as the EU

no freedom of movement of people

contentious issue of US and Mexico with migration

other regional bodies model EU political cooperation

AU intervention in Sudan

EU is very culturally united

focus on individual rights ECHR

Arab league has common security policy

kicked Syria out in 2012 and Libya in 2011

EU has some level of military cooperation

EU use of operation Atlanta in Gulf of Aden 2008 to protect interests in the Suez Cannel