Conclusions and Relevance for Institutional Reform Debate

Abstract

This chapter summarises key findings and draws conclusions on what they (may) imply for how we can perceive of the European Union (EU) in international negotiations. Which theoretical perspective is most useful for explaining EU unity in external action, and under which conditions does unity contribute to increasing the EU’s effectiveness internationally? It briefly touches upon the legitimacy of the EU’s activities in multilateral institutions and the trade-off between this objective and effectiveness. It draws conclusions on the relevance of EU institutional reform from the perspective of increasing the EU’s effectiveness as a negotiator and considers what reform options could still be envisaged.