Assessing the European Union's External Action Towards Its Strategic Partners and Formulating Policy Recommendations

Meltem Müftüler-Baç, Gustavo Müller, Monika Sus, Marie Vandendriessche, Ezgi Uzun, Anna Fonts Picas & Maria Martins

The European Union’s foreign policy aimed at building and sustaining effective multilateralism as a key strategic objective, as outlined in its 2003 European Security Strategy and later revised in the 2016 Global Strategy into effective global governance. The European Union’s foreign policy encompasses bilateral agreements with global players, identified as strategic partners, both with state actors and international organisations. There are multiple facets of the EU’s engagement with global strategic partners, some of which are defined within a legal framework, and some selected on a more ad hoc basis and in an informal manner.

This working paper provides an assessment of the European Union’s engagement with its strategic partners, building on the previous research findings of the ENGAGE project. The EU’s external environment has altered significantly since the beginning of the project, with the unprecedented global pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the Israeli-Hamas war in October 2023. Whilst the EU’s relations with some strategic partners has led to the drafting of new agreements, its relations with certain strategic partners have deteriorated – Russia, which was previously defined as a partner, has become a strategic rival. The dynamic aspect and flexibility of the EU’s engagement with strategic partners is critical to enhance the effectiveness, coherence and sustainability of this foreign policy tool.

This working paper aims to unpack the EU’s strategic partnerships and to assess whether they are effective, coherent and sustainable tools. The former toolbox for building a multilateral world order – strategic partnerships being one of these instruments – has proven unable to respond to rising power competition, populism and nationalism at the international level. Intensified complexity at the global level brings multilateralism at odds with the recent emphasis on nationalism and national interests. This contestation on the merits of multilateralism is a new complication for the EU’s strategic partnerships and their role in building a multilateral, rule-based international order driven by both values and material interests. As a result, strategic partnerships need a major update, with an in-depth review of existing agreements, harmonisation of Member State and EU institution positions, and increasing multilateral management of bilateral agreements.