How far has the EU been effective as an international actor - Essay Example

The EU has been described by others to be using a conventional wisdom to deal (Diez 2005, p.613) with matters of international relations, which has always been under the criticism of most scholars and academics a like. This has called for a lot of scrutiny in the manner in which the EU is dealing with its foes and friends because other countries are critically matching every move taken by it especially on matters relating to security and development (Leonard 2005, p.156) of the third world countries and the middle east.

Trade Policy The EU often applies a unique role in ways in which they handle both domestic and international issue and this make them extra ordinary. Sometimes they resemble the United States by collaborating to implement certain policies while sometimes they just affect them solely without a third persons consent. The institutional structure of the EU is so unique among other member institutions and this gives is an additional advantage in the way they operate in their since time immemorial.

Their democratic governance is way beyond other players in the global scene and this gives them a lot of respect as far as international diplomacy is concerned especially to authoritarian states found in the Middle East (Smith 2003, p.189). The EU provided an intergovernmental structure to enhance its smooth cooperation between the member countries in order to achieve their aims and goals with smooth operations. The difference in state borders has not hindered the EU from executing its mandate in the neighbouring and other states, which have always come under their influence.

The collapse of the Soviet Union place the EU under scrutiny due to their role in that issue which most of the observers believe to have been enormous. The EU is argued to be supporting many supernatural organizations and multinational companies, which they mostly use as a disguise in their attempt to exert their influence in certain regions for their own selfish benefits. These bodies have proven to be effective players in the game of international corporations due to the success witnesses out of their involvement in some of the issues, which EU has interest (Smith 2007, p.225). The international policy environment has seen a guide facelift from the EU, which is often in most cases associated with its decision-making procedure and outcomes.

Therefore, the EU has proven that they are the Centre of authority with ability to exercise vast control over other states behaviour in matters of political, economic and cultural environment. The effectiveness of EU is seen in how it align itself in the discourse about the world politics which they have always proven over time to have a great influence in. sometimes the EU stands divided on the direction it should take concerning very sensitive security issues where stakes are always very high.

This was evident in the war with Iraq when some EU countries supported to support the war waged by the U.S in Iraq while other were reluctant to do so. Such tricky situations have always put the EU on the spotlight with other questioning its legitimacy and the motives of deciding the direction of the global politics. The EU is characterized by using of soft power in the form of incentives and