Normative power Europe : still fit for purpose?

Abstract

The EU has a reputation as a powerful regulatory authority in the global economy. The war in Ukraine raises important questions about whether that is enough. This panel will reflect on whether the EU’s response to the violence – in terms of economic sanctions, security assistance, defence and security capabilities, and support for those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine reveals a mismatch between the EU’s current capabilities and its necessary role in any future world order. Are expressions such as Europe as a ‘civilian power’ or a ‘soft power’ a way to conceal Europe’s limits when it comes to true hard power, or does Europe play a bigger role than is often acknowledged?