The EU: Standing aside from the changing global balance of power?

The EU has developed its global role in recent years. This has taken place by developing procedures for foreign policy and in the deployment of civilian and military missions internationally. However, the EU suffers from weaknesses that limit its ability to exercise significant global influence and that are apparent in the EU's relationship with the rising powers. The article analyses these limitations which encompass the EU's 'hardware'- its capacity to deploy fully the capabilities of all its constituent Member States - and failings in its 'software'- incoherence and inconsistency in the definition and application of its ideas guiding the EU's global role. © 2010 The Author. Politics © 2010 Political Studies Association.