Abstract

Although representing two different experiences of and approaches to European integration in general, Britain and Germany can both be considered as ‘leading’ states in the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. They have a range and variety of resources to deploy in support of their policy goals, and both present an ambition to achieve global reach. This paper examines how they engage with and seek to utilise the CFSP in support of these goals. Looking at the underlying principles and processes of this engagement, it argues that the two states demonstrate a clear leadership ambition in CFSP , although with varying levels of success. This, in turn, raises important questions about the extent to which participation in the CFSP over the long-term has transformed not only how they make foreign policy in this context, but also the underlying attitudes to and principles of that policy.