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<p>This paper defines and categorises the concept of ‘foreign policy specialisation,’ emphasizing its significance in small EU member states’ practices and its role as a source of power in international negotiations. It distinguishes specialisation proper from other forms of foreign policy prioritisation. Drawing on insights from various disciplines, small states’ strategic documents, and interviews with diplomats, we build our definition of foreign policy specialisation as a deliberate, enduring prioritisation of a region or topic in national foreign policy that is implemented through political, financial, and administrative adjustments. We then illustrate our definition with a case study of Czechia’s specialisation in the Eastern Partnership countries. With the focus on specialisation employing a specific definition, the paper frames three groups of research questions that future research can address to enhance the understanding of small states’ foreign policymaking and European foreign policy’s broader dynamics and outcomes.</p>

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Foreign Policy Specialisation in EU Small States: Conceptualising and Analysing an Underexplored Practice

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月10日

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  • Tomáš Weiss,
  • Sandra Fernandes

摘要

This paper defines and categorises the concept of ‘foreign policy specialisation,’ emphasizing its significance in small EU member states’ practices and its role as a source of power in international negotiations. It distinguishes specialisation proper from other forms of foreign policy prioritisation. Drawing on insights from various disciplines, small states’ strategic documents, and interviews with diplomats, we build our definition of foreign policy specialisation as a deliberate, enduring prioritisation of a region or topic in national foreign policy that is implemented through political, financial, and administrative adjustments. We then illustrate our definition with a case study of Czechia’s specialisation in the Eastern Partnership countries. With the focus on specialisation employing a specific definition, the paper frames three groups of research questions that future research can address to enhance the understanding of small states’ foreign policymaking and European foreign policy’s broader dynamics and outcomes.