The European External Action Service

Table of Contents
Table of Acronyms
List of Figures
1. Introduction: Research Interest, State of the Art and Definition of Key Notions
2. Theoretical Framework
2.1. The Actor-Centred Institutionalism
2.1.1. Institutions: Stable but not Determining
2.1.2. Actors: Rational but Context-bound
2.1.3. Interactions and Games: Dynamic Processes, Static Pictures
2.1.4. Tackling Complexity: Implications for the Analysis
2.2. Governance and Normative Institutionalism
2.3. Research Question
2.4. Remarks on the Methodological Approach
3. Crisis Management of the European Union: The Institutional Context
3.1. Sovereignty and Common Security
3.2. Foreign Policy Traditions in the EU
3.3. Missions and Operations hitherto
3.4. Development of EU Crisis Management
3.5. Legal Basis, Decision-Making and Planning Process
3.6. Resources, Tasks and Cooperation Mechanisms
3.7. Interim Conclusion: Multiple Actors and Normative Principles
3.8. Shortfalls
4. The European External ActionService and its Capacity to Act: The Actor
4.1. Development of the Service
4.2. Legal Basis
4.3. Position in the EU Structure
4.4. Design as a Functionally Autonomous Body
4.5. Tasks and Resources within EU Crisis Management
4.6. Interim Conclusion: A Theoretically Capable Actor
4.7. The EEAS in Relation to other Actors: Interactions and Games
4.7.1. Supranational Players: European Commission and Parliament
4.7.2. Intergovernmental Players: Member States and Council of Ministers
4.7.3. Formal Players: European Council and its President
4.7.4. Sidelined Players: Rotating Presidency and European Court of Justice
4.7.5. Interim Conclusion: Cooperation as the Key to Success
5. In lieu of a Conclusion: The Case of Libya Coherent and Capable?
5.1. The Libya Crisis: Situation and Development in a Nutshell
5.2. The EU s Reaction
5.3. The Games played: Explaining EU Action
5.4. Results: Moving Forward while Creating New Puzzles
Literature