Taking stock on the role of the EU in a fragmenting international order

Abstract

Based on the previous contributions to the volume, this chapter draws some conclusions. We find plenty of variation in the ways and the extent to which fragmentation is taking place in different policy areas. We suggest that international institutions designed to be universal might fragment differently from institutions that became aspirationally universal only with the end of the Cold War—although they are all exposed to the effects of great power competition. As regards the ways the EU engages with a fragmenting LIO, we claim that the contours of the EU response are starting to emerge. According to contributions to this volume, there is a broad acceptance of the logic of fragmentation, little exclusive nationalism, frequent and differently balanced combinations of Atlanticism and Europeanism, and probably a stronger response in those issue areas in which states have delegated more powers to the EU.