Chapter 4: Looking Outward: Western Disarray, China Rising

The shocks that shape country experiences often originate from outside the European Union, and particularly from the EU’s integration with the rest of the world. While the internal dynamics of the European Union influence progress towards and obstacles to ever closer union, the global environment for the European Union is changing fast, and external developments may call for new ways of organising the European Union. Relations with the United States are increasingly dominated by conflicts over defence and trade, and the rise of China as a leading power in science and technology may threaten the competitiveness of European companies.