The EU and MLG in the world: Conceptual Reflections

In the fast changing global landscape, Europe is confronted with the preoccupation, but also with the moral responsibility to maintain its model of integration and diversity within a radically transforming world system. The paper presents some conceptual reflections concerning the European Union in a changing world, in particular in its external relations. The paper is structured along three main parts. The first section focuses on the content of two major new concepts in international relations studies, i.e. multi-level governance and sustainable statehood. Moreover, it proposes a human-centric approach to the interaction between globalisation and Europeanisation at the global and European level. The second part applies the conceptual content to the European context , in particular to Europe’s role and its model of society within the globalising world. Finally this is verified for the EU’s external relations as to its major characteristics and human-centric perspective.