As the world looks to Europe to take on more responsibility in international politics and security in the devastating aftermath of Bosnia and Kosovo, this pathbreaking book provides the first systematic evaluation of the political impact of the European Union (EU) on a global scale. Roy Ginsberg fills a vital gap by first linking the contexts and sources of EU foreign policy actions with the processes and outputs of decisionmaking and then examining how outsiders view the EU. Embedding his study within the wider international politics theoretical literature, the author combines fresh interviews with key governmental and institutional sources with case studies that document the reach of and limits to the EU's political influence. This rounded and nuanced analysis will be invaluable for scholars, students, and policymakers alike seeking a current understanding of EU involvement in international politics.