From climate change to mediation: should the EU be a strategic actor in Asia-Pacific?

The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, was due to present a new Global Strategy in late June 2016, though this may depend on the outcome of the UK’s referendum on EU membership. Olivia Gippner writes on the EU’s potential involvement in the Asia-Pacific region and what role, if any, this should play in its future strategy for engaging with the rest of the world.

The full analysis for this article was published as a Special Report ‘Changing Waters: Towards a New EU Asia Strategy’ edited by Olivia Gippner. The research for this article was supported by the Dahrendorf Forum, a joint initiative by the Hertie School of Governance, LSE and Stiftung Mercator.

The EU-Asia relationship has changed, from development assistance to cooperation – and possibly competition. This report explores an overhaul of the EU's 2001 Asia Strategy, more important than ever in the context of Asian economic growth and the US 'pivot'.

Can the EU expand its role in Asian institutions and non-traditional security, acting a neutral arbiter in this volatile region? The report includes contributions from practitioners and academics on EU relations with ASEAN, Australia, Burma, India, Japan, Korea, and China.

• Primary Source

ESO: Key Source: European Union Global Strategy http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-global-strategy/

LSE: IDEAS Reports: Changing Waters: Towards a New EU Asia Strategy http://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/reports/pdf/Changing-Waters-LSE-IDEAS.pdf

EU: EEAS: Asia http://eeas.europa.eu/asia/index_en.htm

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