歐洲整合究竟是證明主權國家間的合作確實可能，而非如同新現實主義的國際合作悲觀論；還是這樣的整合實踐已經根本地挑戰了國際關係的無政府狀態，至少在區域層次證明了主權國家之上可以有更高的權威(authority)，彼此間可以建立起階層制的(hierarchical)互動？透過對歐洲「權力平衡」(balance of power)歷史的回顧及有關無政府狀態的學理研析，本文發現歐洲的整合事實上只是在歐盟(European Union)此一共同制度下被表象式地呈現；但更多時候係受限於參與國自身國家利益的考量，而非以歐洲作為一個整合的全體(integrity)在運行。經由檢視歐盟在剛果民主共和國和馬利共和國的維和行動個案，上述觀點獲得進一步的支持。毋寧，無政府狀態並沒有在歐洲整合的過程中消失，同時歐洲的整合也沒有根本性地挑戰新現實主義的核心論點。

Has European integration, unlike Neorealism’s pessimism about international cooperation, proved that cooperation between sovereign states is possible and permanent? Or has such cooperation in practice fundamentally challenged the concept of anarchy within international relations to prove that a higher authority above sovereign states, at least within a region, is practicable for states to establish hierarchical interaction? By reviewing the history of ‘Balance of Power’ in Europe and analyzing the studies on anarchical international system, this article finds that European integration is in fact presented symbolically under the joint institutions of the European Union (EU); namely, integration is usually constrained by member states’ own consideration for national interests. It therefore is not operated as an ‘integrality’ by the EU. Through the examination of EU’s military operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Mali, the argument of this article is believed to be convincing. Admittedly, anarchy has not disappeared during the process of European integration. Meanwhile, European integration has not fundamentally challenged the core arguments of Neorealism.