Theoretical approaches to the EU’s international role

The International Relations approaches to interstate cooperation

• The problem: why do states cooperate on foreign and security matters? Why do they agree on pooling and delegating of sovereignty?

- Sovereignty pooling- collectively binding decisions, no veto applies

- Sovereignty delegation- transfer of decision-making power to supranational bodies

• Rationalist/ instrumentalist approaches/ logic of expected consequences- variables are power, interests

• Constructivist/ Europeanization approaches/ logic of appropriateness- variables are identity and constitutional culture

Instrumentalist approaches

• Realist explanations- MSs increase their power in international affairs; congruence between the anticipated outcomes and the national policy preference/ unitary actors

• Liberal explanation: domestic sources of foreign policy

• Measurement and operationalisation of the variables

Constructivist approach

• Key variables: identity (elite/ opinion-makers and public identity) and constitutional culture

• Measurement and operationalisation of the variables