European Union’s performance in International Institutions

Abstract

This thesis addresses the analytical framework of EU’s performance in international institutions by analyzing the core findings of the international literature. It is structured based on the conceptual distinction between actorness, presence and performance and summarizes the main points of each researcher, as well as the most important norms that lead to their study. Throughout the text the term of ‘effectiveness’ is assessed multiple times as it a crucial process of internal transformation towards a more improved performance in the external relations of EU. This paper follows the structure of a literature review, chronologically organized, elaborating at each concept separately. First, we emphasize the fundamental indicators that constitute EU’s presence, such as the nature and identity of the Union as well as its external influence, which in most cases is unintentional. Then, in order to further develop the debate regarding EU’s role, we analyze actorness. This notion makes EU’s presence purposive and mostly concentrates on the capacity of the Union to act. Most of the researchers separate the parameters of actorness in internal and external ones, internal regarding rules, procedures and the cooperation between Member-States, and external referring to the recognition of EU by other actors. The last part is a more profound analysis of performance according to its analysts, presenting two pragmatic models, the first one suggesting a concept of four core elements: effectiveness in goal achievement, relevance of the objectives for the stakeholders, efficiency in balancing costs and achievements and financial viability including the resources’ allocation. The second model presents three levels of Performance analysis, the output at micro-level, the outcome at the meso-level and the impact at the macro-level. For each part of the analysis, we combine the opinion of many analysts to fully conceptualize the norms that conclude to the study of performance.