'In a rapidly changing world, Europeans find themselves confronted by a number of direct and indirect challenges to their interests and threats to their security. In this call to arms, Sven Biscop argues that Europeans should be far more proactive in using the EU to confront these. To do so, he argues, the EU needs to adopt a more strategic approach to international politics. Whilst I do not necessarily agree with his argument, I very much enjoyed reading it, and would recommend that anyone interested in the EU’s role in world politics do likewise.' Anand Menon, King’s College London, UK ’Against the growing ranks of naysayers, quick to confine the EU to the rubbish heap of history, Sven Biscop offers a spirited, beautifully written and powerfully argued defence of Europe’s ability to find its own way in a world of power transition, to continue to promote its values, and to emerge as an autonomous strategic actor.’ Jolyon Howorth, Yale University, USA