The European Union in the Indo-Pacific: EU-internal and International Drivers and Barriers to a More Active Role in the Region

In the lecture, Assoc. Prof. Alfred Gerstl (Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic) discussed the ambitions and actual role of the European Union in the Indo-Pacific. The EU is a global economic powerhouse and internationally respected as a soft and normative power, though, its geopolitical influence is limited due to the lack of significant hard power. While Brussels is in its Indo-Pacific strategy (2021) very vocal about maintaining the rules-based multilateral order in the Indo-Pacific, its means to actively contribute to upholding this order are limited to diplomatic and economic initiatives and cooperation with like-minded partners. A case study of South China Sea Dispute examined the EU’s support for Southeast Asian nations to maintain freedom of navigation and trade in the South China Sea. In this context, it was discussed how the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the need for consensus in this policy field undermine the international agency of the EU. Another case study was demonstrated to assess the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative (GGI), an ambitious geo-economic and infrastructure scheme, discussing whether it has the potential to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and can promote the EU’s economic security in the context of derisking from China.