The external relations of the EU towards developing countries: the shift to the reciprocal cooperation?

The thesis provides a multidimensional view of the development of the external relations of the European Communities and the European Union (EU) with the developing countries divided into four geographic regions -- the Mediterranean; the Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Group; Latin America and Asia. The thesis is divided into three chapters. In the first chapter, the thesis aims to examine the importance and efficiency of the external relations of the EU and the difference between non-reciprocal and reciprocal approach in trade relations between countries on a theoretical level. The second chapter consequently demonstrates differences between non-reciprocal and reciprocal approach on the development of the external relations of the EU towards developing countries and on the latest changes carried out within the external relations of the EU as well where the 90s of the 20th century are considered as the decisive period in this sense. The third chapter focuses on the evaluation of the shift towards reciprocal cooperation and on the main causes of this process. Moreover, it analyzes the existence of the potential analogy in the approach of the EU towards developing regions in particular and perspectives of the external relations of the EU towards developing countries in the future