European Union

I have narrowed my topic of the European Union down to European Union foreign policy and prospective integration and its implications (I want to put implication for something that will be my conclusion, I will find this through my research). I want to focus on Europe as a model of democracy for countries around the world. As a region that has undergone much conflict and is still reconciling bitter relations, Europe has taken the lead in transforming the world to democracy peacefully. While the United States has military bases around the world, the European Union is a sign of peace amongst many battles. I want to focus on Europe’s relations first with its neighbors, through the European Neighborhood Policy. These countries include: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine. Of these countries, I am most interested in Ukraine and Moldova (Will these countries ever join the EU? Why are they part of the ENP and not something different?), two countries that share borders with current EU members, while also bordering Russia. This will just be an introduction to how the European Union deals with foreign countries in general; I am not specifically going to talk about Ukraine and Moldova for an extended time. EU relations with Russia are more important for the future: Will tension between Russia and the European Union ever subside? Will Russia ever be a part of Europe? Furthermore the recent developments between Serbia and Kosovo are very important. Will this issue divide the continent? What is/should be the European Union’s role in the independence of Kosovo? I will further discuss the implications in similar ways of the European Union’s relations with the United States, China and the integration of Turkey. These countries are of the utmost important in sustaining the future of globalization, free trade and a market economy worldwide. Within the EU’s foreign relations among these countries, the EU individual countries also have their own foreign policy goal which will be highlighted in these discussions. Also important is Europe’s involvement in the Bretton Woods institutions and NATO. This highlights how individual states still retain autonomy though the EU, and how those particular states have their own foreign policy goals with particular citizens for each country, who have a large impact on EU foreign policy. How does this even work? Who do foreign countries typically ally to, the EU or individual countries? What are the guidelines for foreign relations set out by the EU for individual states?

For sources, I plan on using mostly scholarly journals because EU relations are changing daily and the most up-to-date information is needed for my thesis. I will also use resources from the European Union, who publishes such things as their foreign policy goals, prospective integration, etc. I will look to books for background information and also discussions focused on the future of the EU and implications for current foreign policy tactics.

Outline

I. Introduction

a. Introduce EU and how it works

b. States