What the EU does
The European Union plays a unique and active role on the global stage: promoting peace, stability and cooperation beyond its borders, supporting human rights and democratic values, responding to crises, and building partnerships across continents.
The EU uses a broad set of instruments to conduct its external affairs. Key tools include:
- Diplomacy and partnerships: Through its network of EU Delegations, strategic partnerships with countries and regions, and multilateral engagement (e.g., with the UN).
- Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and Common Security & Defence Policy (CSDP): The EU can deploy civilian and military missions, impose restrictive measures (sanctions), and coordinate national armed forces contributed by Member States.
- Humanitarian aid: The EU uses humanitarian aid both in neighbouring countries and globally, often combined with geopolitical and security objectives.
- International partnerships: The EU works with countries around the world to promote sustainable development, create opportunities and address shared global challenges.
- Trade: While trade policy overlaps other topics, it is a key instrument of external action and part of the EU’s global engagement.
- Crisis response and conflict prevention: The EU and its Member States can contribute to peace keeping, mediation, border missions, and stabilisation efforts.
Main areas
Responding to crises through civilian and military missions
Protecting human rights globally
Providing vital support to those most in need
EU actions in the Middle East, from delivering humanitarian support to engaging diplomatically
Working with the world's major economies to shape coordinated responses to global challenges
EU’s trade relationships and negotiations with countries, regions and the WTO
The EU at the UN Climate Change Conference
Key achievements
- In 2012, the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for over six decades of promoting peace, reconciliation, democracy, and human rights in Europe and beyond.
- The EU has launched over 35 civilian and military missions under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East to stabilise regions and train local forces.
- The EU remains a global leading donor of humanitarian aid. Between 2018 and 2024, EU humanitarian funding grew continuously. In 2022, the EU’s final humanitarian budget saw a 20% rise, up to €2.62 billion, €440 million more than the year before, reaching millions of people affected by war, natural disasters, and displacement.
- The EU has supported projects worldwide improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure in partner countries, lifting millions out of poverty.
- Our global leadership also extends to the fight against climate change. The EU has led the world with its ambition to become climate-neutral by 2050, an objective that other countries have adopted since.
- With the creation of the EU’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime in December 2020, the EU has signalled its determination to stand up for human rights worldwide and to take action against those responsible for serious human rights violations.
In focus
The strategy for the Arctic is the framework of cooperation with the EU’s northern neighbourhood that places people, security, climate and prosperity at its core. The strategy includes four priorities
- strengthening security and resilience in the Arctic
- responding to accelerating climate change
- building a prosperous and economically secure Arctic
- creating opportunities for people and communities in the Arctic
The Arctic, which is home to more than half a million EU citizens, is changing fast as a result of climate change. This presents a variety of challenges that are reshaping the Arctic’s security and economic landscape. With this strategy, the EU is seeking to promote a stable and forward-looking Arctic, in close cooperation with Arctic partners and communities.
This page was last updated on 16 July 2026