Values in the EU external action: mechanisms of implementation and their outcomes

Abstract

The European Union, which is broadly acknowledged for its role in fostering democracy, rule of law, and human rights within Europe, has increasingly sought to project these values in its external action. Despite these ambitions, the EU attracts some criticism for perceived inconsistencies and double standards in this field. To address this discrepancy, this article investigates the mechanisms through which the EU seeks to promote and protect the values overseas and assesses the factors that influence the effectiveness of these endeavours. It employs a legal research methodology to identify and categorise the relevant instruments used in external policy what is further supplemented with political analysis. The findings indicate that the EU’s external value promotion is shaped by a complex interplay of internal, as well as external variables such as the political will and socio-economic context of third countries.