The European Union in International Affairs. An Active and Important Player in the 21st Century?

Abstract

Over the past decades the European Union (EU) has become an increasingly prominent actor on the international stage. Nevertheless, in most international Organizations and regimes (IOs) only EU member states and not the EU itself formally enjoy full membership. Often, the EU is registered as observer, while it has membership rights only in exceptional instances, such as in the WTO or the UNFCCC. This panel sheds light on how active and how influential the EU is in different international negotiations contexts, such as the UNGA, the SC, the WTO or the IWC. When is the EU vocal in international affairs and which factors contribute to its external activity? How important is the formal status of a regional organization in the IO or international regime? How important is its internal composition? Under which conditions can the EU become influential in international affairs?

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