Europe’s Progress and the Road Ahead at R2P’s 15th Anniversary

Abstract

This contribution examines the European Union’s engagement with the R2P framework and showcases various examples of progress in support of R2P from the past 15 years. It also illustrates some lingering ambivalence within the EU towards the principle and the divisions which exist across the EU membership regarding some aspects of the R2P agenda, and in particular the role of military force in pursuit of human protection. With the EU currently facing a range of internal and global challenges, its ability to improve policy coherence across the broad range of programmes and activities in support of the R2P agenda, and its ability to shape norms internationally, remain uncertain.