The European Union Global Strategy and the EU's Maieutic Role*

The article suggests an exegesis of the conceptual tenets introduced by the EUGS. By focusing on the two disruptive concepts that have come forward in the document – principled pragmatism and resilience – it aims at unveiling the new role the EUGS allocates to the EU, especially in its neighbourhood. This recalls the Socratic maieutic method, blending the cognitive, aspirational and performative aspects suggested by principled pragmatism and resilience. Instead of spreading norms especially in its neighbourhood, the EU would rather engage selectively in a wider space, pragmatically supporting the others becoming resilient. While recognizing local agency and disowning the ‘one size fits all’ principle, this new role still legitimates the EU to influence the outside, although not structurally. This shift tends to de-politicize external actions, with the risk of obfuscating the question of accountability and responsibility while maintaining the capability to influence.