On May 18, 2010, Cao Hui gave a presentation on her research project titled An explanation of interest formation in European foreign policy: Evidence from European Neighborhood Policy to her colleagues at IES.
Based on Putnam (1988) two-level games theory, Cao Hui hypothesizes a interactive model between preference, institutions and policy outcomes, and analyzes how the European Union developed a common strategy for its foreign policy. Through detailed comparative case studies on Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP, enforced in 1994) and European Partnership Policy (ENP, enforced in 2005), Cao testifies that the EU forms a new converged interest/preference as it is facing external and internal challenges, such as cross-border criminal activities, terrorism and energy supply etc. Cao is convinced that energy security is one of the core interests in the EU policy-making towards its external relations. EMP attaches great importance to the value-promoting multilateral approach whereas the EU emphasizes economic interest, bilateral cooperation with its partners in ENP. Cao Hui spent one year from March 2009 to March2010 at University of Catania, Italy.
Cao Hui on EU’s Foreign Policy Formation