The EU as a Normative Power and the Research on External Perceptions: The Missing Link

In research on E uropean foreign policy two important axes of debate have been running relatively independently of each other for more than a decade: the study of the E uropean U nion as a normative power ( NPE ) and the study of external perceptions of the EU . However, the studies of external perception offer some findings that are central for the NPE debate. This article's argument is that the external perceptions literature points to a limited (if still identifiable) perception of the EU as a normative power depending on the geographical area. By comparison, the image of a powerful economic actor is prevalent. The article raises the question of whether the thin and geographically varied character of the perceptions relating to the EU as a normative power justifies the general designation of NPE . A new agenda focusing on geographical differences and interaction with other sources of power is outlined.