The concept of global governance is quite blur, which makes it scientifically difficult to apprehend and use. Thus Leonard et al.  try to make the concept clearer and give a scientific definition of it in order to be able to grasp the concept and use it in an effective way. The notion of global governance describes a range of observable and related phenomena that are used to explain the transformation of the « international system ». According to Rosenau « Global governance is conceived to include systems of rules at all levels of human activity -from the family to international organization- in which the pursuit of goals through the exercice of control has transnational repercussion ». Four elements are important in this definition : the system of rule, the levels of human activity, the pursuit of goals and transnational repercussion.
Global governance can be analyzed as a concept that gives a definite view over world politics that differs from « inter -national » relations because it involves more and new actors than just national States.
In global governance, international governance and transnational actors have an equal « ontological » status, none is set above the other. Global governance does not only focus on actors but also takes into account rules, standards, norms that constrain and structure social activity. Thus is to say it focuses on the conditions that enable social activity and not just on the actors.
The new « international system » leads us to the question to know what role the EU plays in this redefined context, Gareis et al. . The EU has a particular construction, and is a new kind of actor in global governance. The EU lies somewhere between « intergovernmental and supranational cooperation ». The EU is a community of 28 Sovereign States that try to perform as a unified actor to pursue common polices and goals at an international level. It thus has a number of new roles and policies that were previously attached to sovereign States. EU has a diverse contribution to global governance and international relations. Europe sure has an economic and commercial power, but it’s political and strategic power are uncertain, it seems the EU is looking for it’s role in the global governance. EU has a certain form of power in the global governance world order, a new kind of power. Power in a sens a an « ability to shape the world and pull potentially hostile blocs into a collaborative orbit based on a shared set of values ».
EU can be considered as a regional actor. Regionalism is a structural and multidimensional feature of the global governance. But EU is not the only regional actor, they are other regional cooperations such as ASEAN, MERCOSUR. Still the fact that EU has a supranational law and strong institutions make it a particular actor regional cooperation differing from the latter ones.
EU will not become a classical, military and nuclear power such as the USA, Russia or China. Because the complexity of it’s construction does not enable it and that the EU in it’s globally does not wish for it. As explained by M. Leonard the lack of vision is the key of the EU’s strength and it is essential in the way is was constituted. « To this day Europe is a journey without a final destination » However being a military « super-power » implies having a common goal and vision on how to deal with a particular situation.
During the formation of the EU, the most important was to have small principles that shifted towards always more solidarity. So Europe is no military « super-power », because it is not meant to be so in it’s goals and construction since it’s formation. It is based on cooperation and not build as an international community. Plus a military process in a Europe of 28 is quite impossible, each country having different views. We saw this during the war in Irak in 2003, some countries chose to follow the Americans whereas others refused. If Europe had a unique military strategy all countries would have to share a common unique strategy. According to me, EU as a military « super-power » is not wished for, in this sense, the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker call for the creation of a European army on the 8th March 2015 to face Russia is not a solution to the crisis in Ukraine. Since the rejection of the European Defense Community Europe has not been able to create an army, the EU only engaged itself in collaborations.
EU is building up a certain world order in line with the principles it carries forward, for example the Kyoto Treaty, the International Criminal Court. EU is « building and modernizing the global institutions ». The EU’s main goal which it has largely achieved is peace-making and the imposing of certain standards.
The EU is a moving global actor
, in a moving global governance system where things are constantly changing [i]. In my opinion, the EU should turn towards the world politics, and not be a super power, but a regional group, making the multilateralism principle the essential component of it’s international action. In this way the diversity of countries that constitute Europe would be a good point. Because each region forming Europe build particular relations to diverse regions in the world. This enables Europe to occupy an original, influent and new space in the international stage.