European Commission, Office for Infrastructure and Logistics in Brussels, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

FPI's mission is to turn EU foreign policy into action: fast and flexibly to make the EU a stronger security, geopolitical and geoeconomic actor on the global stage. As a Service of the European Commission, FPI reports directly to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP). The present booklet is far from exhaustive, but it illustrates already the wide range of activities the EU is currently invested in and will have to remain so in order to play its role as a global actor, notably in peace and security, public diplomacy, democracy and rule of law. This global reach is only possible via the presence of dedicated colleagues both in headquarter and in EU Delegations around the world.

European Committee of the Regions, Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, Augustyn, A., Sarno, G., Ciparisse, M., European Committee of the Regions, 2022.

Climate diplomacy does not have a universal definition. Nevertheless, it generally refers to the use of diplomatic tools to support the achievement of international climate goals and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on peace, stability and prosperity. Climate diplomacy entails prioritizing climate action in relations with partners worldwide, shaping foreign policy agendas and building partnerships that tackle simultaneously climate and other foreign policy objectives such as peace building or strengthening multilateralism. At the EU level, the EU Council defines climate diplomacy as “EUʼs work in both multilateral fora and at a bilateral level on promoting ambitious global climate goals and actions in pursuit of a planetary transition towards climate neutrality”.

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Gregori, W., Damioli, G., Publications Office of the European Union, 2021.

This study investigates the extent to which diplomatic relations affected merger and acquisition (M&A) activities in the European Union during the years 2001–2019. Implementing a gravity model, we find a positive relationship between diplomatic distance and M&A activities meaning that a worsening in diplomatic relations fosters inward M&As in Europe. The finding suggests that cross-border acquisitions to Europe could be a way for the investing firm to mitigate weak diplomatic relations’ related issues, such as access to host markets’ information and technology. It is confirmed especially when foreign investors target high-tech firms, are private (rather than state-owned) enterprises and buy larger shares of the target companies.

European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, McGearty, S., Crosson, D., Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

The EU’s approach to preventive diplomacy is embedded in a wider ambition to ‘preserve peace, prevent conflicts and strengthen international security’. Given deteriorating security and increasing geopolitical tensions worldwide, it is evident that preventive diplomacy requires sustained and enhanced attention by the EU.

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Estreguil, C., Buschke, F., Publications Office of the European Union, 2022.

The European Union’s (EU) scientific influence extends beyond its geographical borders. This report presents a retrospective analysis of peer-reviewed scientific articles by the EU with a specific focus on Africa. Its purpose is to identify trends based automated bibliometric tools and feed into the debate to shape the future pathway of EU funded research on Africa. This analysis showed an ever-evolving European response to overarching scientific challenges in Africa, which involved expanding scientific production and partnerships, and the growth of research across disciplinary boundaries.

European Union Institute for Security Studies, Pawlak, P., Barbero, F., Publications Office of the European Union, 2021.

To be responsible digital players, states need to address the environmental cost of using digital services that rely on large volumes of data and to promote green solutions as part of their international digital engagement strategies. For the EU’s foreign policy, this means embracing ‘green digital diplomacy’ as one of the priorities and a chance to exercise normative leadership. Green digitalisation represents a strategic opportunity for the EU’s foreign and security policy to exercise influence in times of geopolitical competition and trade tensions.

European Parliament, Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services, Delivorias, A., Jütten, M., European Parliament, 2023.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is a region that has become strategically important for all international actors, including China. Covering a selection of topics that have the potential to feature prominently in the Union's relations with LAC, this EPRS publication presents an overview of significant developments and events in the region. New geopolitical circumstances and challenges have emerged that impact EU-LAC relations: Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the fight against climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing rise of China. In response, the European Commission announced in its 2023 work programme that it would be proposing a new agenda to reinvigorate relations with LAC.

European Union Institute for Security Studies, Ghanem, D., Ditrych, O., Akpinar, P. et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

Türkiye’s footprint in various regions of the world has expanded. This is evident not only in economic terms but also in the country’s projection of its soft power, reflected in a myriad of educational and outreach initiatives. It furthermore has a rising profile as a regional weapons supplier, particularly of armed drones. Under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ankara is clearly pursuing an ambitious vision in the diplomatic, economic and military spheres.