The Role of European Union Delegations in EU External Relations: Lessons from China and beyond
Frauke Austermann, Free University of Berlin
In my PhD dissertation "The Role of European Union Delegations in EU External Relations: A Diplomatic Service of Different Speeds" I answer the question why the new post-Lisbon EU Delegations can centralize EU diplomacy more easily in some countries than in others. The research question has been developed in an effort to put into perspective the ubiquitous claim that the EU cannot speak with one voice towards Beijing. The research gap that I am closing is that the case of China is rarely put into perspective and compared with centralization of European diplomacy towards other countries. During the UACES Annual Conference, I will present the main results of my dissertation about the role of EU Delegations in centralizing European diplomacy all over the world, and in China in particular.