Proposals to Improve the EU’s Engagement in Conflict Resolution, Prevention and Mediation

Gustavo Müller, Ester Sabatino, Cornelius Adebahr, Federico Santopinto & Louise Souverbie

This working paper offers policy recommendations for more effective, coherent and sustainable engagement of the European Union (EU) and its Members States in conflict resolution, prevention and mediation. The analysis of the EU’s engagement in the field of conflict management underscores the importance of coherence and synergies between supranational community-based policies and the intergovernmental CFSP and CSDP instruments. Other key takeaways include the growing importance of foresight in an integrated approach; the growing relevance of nexus issues such as environment, development and gender; and the potential impact of external factors as well as the presence of other major powers, such as the United States or China, in crisis situations. Ultimately, the EU's ability to effectively manage conflicts rests on its capacity to maintain policy coherence, embrace nexus issues to address root causes of conflict, and adeptly respond to external geopolitical shifts.

This document groups the Union’s shortcomings in conflict management into four major clusters. The first one corresponds to a fragmented discourse and ambiguity in communication, potentially leading to weakened credibility and effectiveness in peacebuilding efforts. Second, deficiencies in terms of coordination and coherence across policy areas that hinder the comprehensive use of policy synergies and may result in contradicting actions. The third cluster includes struggles to harness comparative advantages, often overlooking local economic and socio-environmental determinants. Finally, the fourth cluster refers to the Union’s mere reactivity to geopolitical competition, particularly regarding the influence of major powers like China, which calls for proactive policy monitoring and regional strategies.

To address this diagnosis, a series of policy recommendations are put forward, with a particular focus on: (1) ensuring a clear narrative and strategic communication regarding the Union’s engagement in conflict management; (2) improving coordinating mechanisms to increase coherence across EU policy instruments; (3) further anchoring the EU’s actions in its comparative advantages; and (4) proactively monitoring and acting on changes in the geopolitical landscape and the (re)emergence of other major powers.

The final part of this working paper proposes assessment criteria for coherent, effective and legitimate EU engagement in conflict prevention, mediation and resolution.