"The Role of Networks in the EU’s Foreign Policy toward Colombia"

Based on the premises of network approaches, this paper considers that EU foreign policy making includes a variety of actors and competing perceptions with regard to particular themes, countries and/or regions. Taking Colombia as a case study, this analysis focuses on three stages of foreign policy making. The first is the nature of the external issue (country, theme, region) the EU has to deal with. The second is the inter-institutional perception and debate between Council, Commission and Parliament. The third is the creation of external networks with NGOs, which becomes decisive in executing cooperation policies, particularly with regard to humanitarian aid