29 Jun The Rise of e-Diplomacy: Redefining EU Foreign Affairs Through the Lens of the Digital Age

Federica Iannó

Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Master’s in International Relations.

E-mail: federicasimona.ianno@studio.unibo.it

Abstract

This article seeks to investigate the impacts of the measures that the European Union is implementing to develop a strong digital diplomacy strategy, in order to mitigate drawbacks and maximize the perks of integrating new technologies into its current diplomatic framework.Through the analysis of qualitative data, we review the strategic goals that the EU intends to reach in the field of digital diplomacy, after exploring the relevant literature on the wider debate on “e-Diplomacy”, including its features, merits, and drawbacks. The European Union has adopted several measures- many of which are outlined throughout the article- to adapt its diplomatic strategy to today’s ever-evolving geopolitical dynamics, as well as the emergence of unprecedented threats. In the latter half of this article, we assess the effectiveness of these measures and their respective outcomes in order to identify, where possible, potential areas that enjoy an appreciable margin of improvement.

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Keywords: Diplomacy, Cybersecurity, Digital T ransition, Geopolitics, European Union.