Bounded Rationality in Brussels: elements of an EU foreign policy

Through an original database of 138 questionnaires (and 20 interviews) with national officials working in CFSP/CSDP committees the paper offers a more nuanced picture of the dynamics and logics that characterise the decision-making process of the EU foreign and defence policy. It provides information on the sources of the consensus within European foreign policy cooperation. The behaviour of member states’ officials when holding conflicting views is investigated. National interests remain an overriding principle in those cases; furthermore, elements of integrative bargaining (issue-linkages more than side-payments) are present. Nevertheless, under some circumstances also logics of appropriateness and arguing play a relevant role in the CFSP/ESDP decision-making process. Finally, it is shown that on most issues of international politics national diplomats share a common understanding of the situation.