European Union as a Specific Actor of New Paradigm for Conflict Prevention
European Union as a Specific Actor of New Paradigm for Conflict Prevention

Summary/Abstract: The research of the conflict prevention has become intensive after the end of the Cold War. In that period, prevention of conflicts becomes defined goal of a high number of global and regional organisations including the EU. The article focused on the role of the EU in the formation of a more general attitude to conflict prevention and its redefinition. The effect of the EU as an international actor was given not only by its specific form of external activities, but dominantly also by its normative effect. The aim of this study was to analyse the specific position of the EU as a normative actor vis-á-vis conflict prevention paradigm and to find out whether it has any potential to co-establish this paradigm. The presented study attempted to identify the EU as a power sui generis, where conflict prevention could be considered as one of the important characteristic features of identification of the EU as a normative power. The theoretical framework was also based on the constructivist concept assuming the ability of the actor to influence and socially establish the security paradigm. The study explored if the EU acts as a normative power in external relations and, as a result, if it is able to exercise influence not only in its real behaviour but also in relation to redefining the paradigm of the approach to conflict prevention as such. Strategic pro-active concept based on conflict prevention could be one of the ways in which the EU can address the need for greater clarity about its goals and methods as a global security actor.

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