The European Union
(EU) faces mounting pressures in its external action amid shifting dynamics in
international relations and global governance. This paper examines how shifting
geopolitical focus toward the Indo-Pacific, rising geopolitical tensions,
demographic shifts and migration, rapid technological advances (such as
artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and space), and accelerating
environmental degradation require enhanced coherence and effectiveness in EU
foreign policy. Additionally, the increasing fragmentation of governance
structures, the decline of multilateralism, and the rise of informal governance
are eroding traditional pathways of international cooperation. These trends
present unique challenges to the EU, potentially undermining its role as a
cohesive, influential global actor. This paper analyses how these evolving
trends in international relations and global governance impact the EU’s
external action and proposes pathways for addressing these challenges to
strengthen the coherence, effectiveness and sustainability of the EU’s actions
in an evolving global order.