The constraints to EU action as a ‘norm entrepreneur’ in the Mediterranean

ABSTRACT: This presentation enters into the debate on EU’s type of participation in international politics. By focusing upon EU relations with Mediterranean countries, this presentation provides some empirical evidence to explore the EU capability to act as a ‘norm entrepreneur’, i.e. it seeks to assess to what extent the EU is able to ‘extend its norms into the international system’, considering that we are dealing with pincipled norms (the principles of peace, liberty, democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights are the EU ‘core’ norms; social solidarity, anti-discrimination, sustainable development and good governance are the ‘minor’ norms) (Manners, 2002: 241 ff.). The hypothesis which is tested is that, despite EU attempts to act as a ‘norm entrepreneur’ in the Mediterranean, the EU is faced with several difficulties which undermine the EU effective action.