European Foreign Policy

European Foreign Policy explains the historical and political origins of the current foreign process of the European Union. It includes lively descriptions of the fall of communism in Europe, as well as the effect the Gulf War and the conflict in Yugoslavia had on west European policy-making. European Foreign Policy traces the development of the European Union's foreign policy making from the old governmental co-operation (EPC) to the common foreign and security policy introduced by the Maastricht Treaty. It is the first time the process had been explained from a comprehensive historical as well as political viewpoint. The impact of the fall of communism as well as the Gulf War and the early stages of the conflict in Yugoslavia are analysed in detail. The personal roles played by Mitterrand, Kohl, and Bush are vividly described. The theme of the book is the way in which ideological quarrels between intergovernmentalists and integrationists have distorted EU foreign policy making, leading to general dissatisfaction with the CFSP. Yet, contrary to the received opinion, the policy-making process is under the influence of bureaucratic procedures slowly shifting towards the Community model.