Bilateralna diplomatija u Evropskoj uniji
Bilateral Diplomacy in the European Union

Summary/Abstract: Continuity of traditional diplomatic structures between the member states of the European Union treats understanding with contempt. The appropriate response could be made by studying the core reasons and lines of actions of bilateral embassies in the intra EU bilateral diplomacy and dealings of the member state permanent representations in Brussels. Both structures are considered to be properly geared only for modern diplomacy and unsuitable for the post-modern polity, as European Union is more often regarded to be. Bilateralism and bilateral diplomacy are not two profoundly researched topics, least in the EU context. Scarce attempts to link the change in bilateral diplo-matic structures within the EU to the changing EU environment have revealed that they differ from modern ones. Empirical enquiries into the intra-European member states bilateral diplomacy are even in shorter supply than theoreti-cal work. Available evidence is pointing into direction of not so structurally different intra-EU bilateral diplomacy from the traditional one. Differences are discernible in functioning and targeting of diplomatic representation in the European Union. Variations from modern modes of bilateral diplomacy prove that developed theorizing would be a worth while effort for making systematic scientific research into bilateral diplomacy in the EU. One of the most recent theories of intra-Union bilateral diplomacy change and adaptation (Bátora, Hocking, 2008) built for this purpose is taken under the scrutiny. Its ample advantages are presented, followed by shortcomings identified, in order to be remedied for enhancing the knowledge on the state component within the emerging diplomatic system of the European Union.

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