The Global Role and Ambitions of the European Union — Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gordanić, Jelica (2021) The Global Role and Ambitions of the European Union — Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In: International Organizations and States’ Response to COVID-19. Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade, pp. 73-85. ISBN 978-86-7067-291-8

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Abstract

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the global role of the EU had been seriously challenged for multiple reasons: the diversity of interests of the member states, the crisis of European identity, Brexit, lack of military power, complex decision-making process, dependence on the US, etc. The outbreak of COVID-19 and an inadequate response by the EU damaged its reputation and slowed down its global influence and ambitions. EU citizens are losing trust in the EU institutions. On the other hand, China and Russia have been using vaccine diplomacy to develop their soft power and global influence. China and Russia have enlarged their influence in the Balkans, the Eastern Partnership countries, Asia, the Pacific region, and Latin America. Compared with these countries, the EU is losing the characteristics of a global actor. The paper examines to what extent the EU’s role as a global actor has been damaged during the COVID-19 pandemic and what the EU can do to overcome the crisis caused by COVID-19. The paper concludes that the EU should intensively work on its internal problems and its role as a military force and dependence on the US. The inadequate response of the US to the COVID-19 pandemic gives the EU space to become a new leader in the transatlantic world.

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