Introduction: ethical power Europe?

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the EU is seeking to position itself as a global player with a broad spectrum of civilian and military capabilities. This role is articulated in a discourse of universal ethics, which defines the EU as a 'power for good' and 'peace-builder' in the world. Underpinning this notion of 'ethical power Europe' is a conceptual shift in the EU's role and aspirations from what it 'is' to what it 'does'. According to this discourse, in pursuing European interests more cohesively, the EU is also contributing to a 'better world' by strengthening justice (human rights) and order (effective multilateralism). This special issue critically examines and challenges this subjective conception of the EU as an ethical power 'doing good' in the world. The notion of 'ethical power Europe' is posed as a question rather than a statement of political reality. The articles in this issue offer a wide range of theoretical and empirical perspectives that problematize a set of questions pertaining to what we understand by ethics in foreign policy: the nature and content of ethical values; the relationship between ethics and interests; the exercise of power, particularly the just use of military force; and the inherent problem in pursuing a consistent ethical foreign policy. Encouraging these multiple, and at times deeply contending, approaches to the study of the EU as an ethical power can shed important light on the EU's international role. It also opens up new lines of enquiry by situating the debate about the EU's international role in broader debates within the discipline of International Relations. Finally, the discussion of 'ethical power Europe' feeds into a wider policy debate at the dawn of the twenty-first century about the scope for ethical considerations in international politics, and whether these ethical ambitions represent progress or simply a dangerous utopia.