Expanding actorness to explain EU external engagement in originally internal policy areas

Abstract

Despite its increasing importance for European integration, there remains a lack of scholarly attention to the growth of EU external action in originally internal policy areas. This article advances a comprehensive framework for understanding and explaining the emergence of EU external engagement in such areas. The framework combines insights from two sets of literatures: the EU external relations literature offers useful concepts-particularly 'actorness'-as building blocks for explanatory purposes, while the public policy literature provides relevant insights regarding policy entrepreneurship and agenda-setting. The article contends that EU external engagement results from a favourable interplay between an external 'opportunity' and the EU's 'presence' in a given domain, which is identified and capitalized upon by a set of policy entrepreneurs, who are driven by interest-based and/or ideational motives. The article undertakes a qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources to apply the framework across multiple policy areas.

Making a difference in multilateral negotiations: the European Union and the global agenda on aid effectiveness

“…Two notes of caution are in order. First, the proposed analytical framework is not deterministic in nature but probabilistic at best and offers plausible explanations for the EU's behaviour in multilateral negotiations (Schunz & Damro, 2020;Thomas, 2012). Second, when studying the factors that affect external impact, there is trade-off between parsimony and richness (Niemann & Bretherton, 2013): the choice here is that of parsimony.…”

“…High internal capability and a favourable systemic context, even when they materialize simultaneously, still cannot guarantee significant EU external impact. In this sense, one of the weaknesses of the literature on actorness and effectiveness is that it pays little heed to agency (Schunz & Damro, 2020), to the point that Bretherton and Vogler (2006, p. 24) even argued that by "virtue of its existence" the EU would be able "to exert influence beyond its border". Instead, it is posited here that the likelihood of the EU's external impact increases in the presence of a policy entrepreneurwhich often is the EC, and in fewer cases, the EU Presidency, acting in concert with different member states (Carbone, 2007).…”

“…Instead, it is posited here that the likelihood of the EU's external impact increases in the presence of a policy entrepreneurwhich often is the EC, and in fewer cases, the EU Presidency, acting in concert with different member states (Carbone, 2007). Policy entrepreneurs first need to see whether a problem requires some sort of action; alternatively, they may deem that the EU's external engagement is not desirable or that action can be taken by member states on their own (Schunz & Damro, 2020). Then, they must gain support for their proposals, engaging in outreach activities to circumvent deadlocks and build alliances (Dee, 2013;Kilian & Elgström, 2010;Oberthür & Groen, 2018;Parker & Karlsson, 2010;Romanyshyn, 2015;Steingass 2020).…”

“…Departing from the concept of actorness, scholars have identified different factors that affect the EU's ability to reach its objectives and influence outcomes across different policy areas (e.g. da Conceição-Heldt & Meunier, 2014;Drieskens, 2017;Jørgensen, 2009;Niemann & Bretherton, 2013), yet they have paid little attention to agency (Schunz & Damro, 2020). This article further contributes to the literature on international aid governance: various scholars have investigated the role of actors in setting rules and norms and have offered different perspectives on aid effectiveness, but they have not considered the EU (e.g.…”

The high representative and the Covid-19 crisis: a preliminary assessment

“…Nonetheless, one would have expected Borrell to be part of such team. In fact, be it under the label of "comprehensive approach" during HR/VP Ashton's mandate, or of "joined-up approach" in the HR/VP Mogherini's EU Global Strategy, the coordination of EU internal and external instruments was a key objective of the Lisbon Treaty's provisions on crisis management (Koops & Tercovich, 2020;Schunz & Damro, 2020).…”