In the post-Cold War New World Order, the European Union (EU) is among a growing number of regional regimes that are acquiring prominent roles in the process of global governance. The EU is the most advanced and influential regional regime by virtue of being constructed aroung the supranational European Community (EC). However, the evident competitive advantages of supranationalism will foster the consolidation and proliferation of supranational regional regimes in a manner consistent with the neo-functionalist understanding of such organisations.