The EU concept of the 'strategic partnership': identifying the 'unifying' criteria for the differentiation of strategic partners

Cihelková, E., Nguyen, H. P., Fabuš, M. and Čimová, K. (2020) The EU concept of the 'strategic partnership': identifying the 'unifying' criteria for the differentiation of strategic partners. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 7(3), pp. 1723-1739. (doi: 10.9770/jesi.2020.7.3(19))

Abstract

Strategic partnerships are an essential tool of the common foreign policy of the European Union (EU), which should help fulfil its strategic interest – to be an influential global actor, to share responsibility for global security, and together with partners to respond to the current global challenges. Considering that the EU has not yet defined the nature of the strategic partnership, the first objective of this paper is to identify the instrument from a general perspective and to distinguish it from the default category of cooperation. Linking strategic partnership with legal standards, however, allows for the setting of certain criteria of the concept of strategic partnerships for the EU with other key countries and to determine the variability of possible approaches to the specific concept. To define these criteria and the variety of strategic partnerships set by these criteria, is the second goal of the article. If an adequate alternative approach to the concept of the EU is assigned to each individual strategic partner, which is the third objective of this paper, the results indicate the significant diversity of strategic partners of the EU. Based on obtained results, it can be concluded that in order to clarify the concept of the EU’s strategic partnership, it is necessary to take steps that will lead to a gradual convergence of existing forms of strategic partnerships and their focus on strategic issues.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This research was supported by two scientific projects: GAAA no. 9/2018 “Comparative Metodology and its Application by Examining the Specific International Business Environment (Case Study of China)”, funder: Grant Agency Academia Aurea, Czech Republic; and IGA no. 3/2017 “Development of International Busuness and International Management in the Conditions of Globalization”, funder: IGA of the School of Economics and Management in Public Administration).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cimova, Miss Kristina
• Authors: Cihelková, E., Nguyen, H. P., Fabuš, M., and Čimová, K.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences
• Journal Name: Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues
• Publisher: Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center
• ISSN: 2345-0282
• ISSN (Online): 2345-0282
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Authors and VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center
• First Published: First published in Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues 7(3): 1723-1739
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License