The Role of Values in EU External Relations: A Legal Assessment of the EU as a ‘Good’ Global Actor

The value of the EU values in internal situations relating to the rule of law is high on the political agenda. Far less studied is the way in which these values (as articulated in for instance Article 2 TEU) have, or should have, an impact on the EU's external relations. While Articles 3(5) and 21 TEU do indeed link the EU values to EU external action, the legal position of the values and the ways in which they impose constraints on the EU to act (or call for action) remain largely in the dark. The purpose of this chapter is to assess the legal role EU values (may/should) have in the EU's engagement with third states and other international organizations and in formulating its external policies. This will be done on the basis of an analysis of the normative force of the relevant norms, but also by assessing the extent to which EU values are part of key instruments in EU external relations and contribute to the EU's 'good' global actorness.