Deadline: 06/20/21
Event Date: 11/19/21
Location name: Virtual
Organization: University of Geneva
EUDIPLO – 7th Geneva Jean Monnet Doctoral Workshop – Call for papers
The Law and Practice of EU Diplomacy in Regional and Global Organisations
University of Geneva, 19 November 2021
(online workshop)
This Doctoral Jean Monnet Workshop is organised by the Centre d’études juridiques européennes of the University of Geneva (www.ceje.ch) in the context of the EUDIPLO network on “The European Union in International Diplomatic Relations” (http://eudiplo.eu/), which was officially launched in November 2020.
Background
The EU developed relationships with various international organisations and became a party, usually alongside its Member States, to a large number of international agreements which created international organisations. The capacity to participate in international organisations was underlined in Article 21 (1) TEU, which provides that the Union seeks “to develop relations and build partnerships with third countries and international, regional or global organisations”. It is worth noting that whereas the provision distinguishes between two levels of organisation, regional and global, no clear consequences seem to follow from this broad distinction in practice. According to paragraph 2 of the same Article, the Union shall work for a high degree of cooperation in all fields of international relations in order to promote an “international system based on stronger multilateral cooperation and good global governance”. But references to possible legal bases for the Union to engage with other international organisation can be found throughout the Treaties. On the basis of this, the EU has become an active member on the international scene, not only as far as international representation is concerned, but also in the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements and in its participation in multiple international fora. The EU defined, step by step, its own diplomacy in the areas of activity of these regional and global organisations.
The aim of this doctoral workshop is to explore the role and action of the EU, and its Member States, in these international fora in order to determine, on the basis of law and practice, the content and functioning of EU diplomacy in the different areas and fora.
One aspect of EU diplomacy is linked to the format of the EU’s participation in the regional and global organisations. The EU is a member of a large number of them, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the Energy Community, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF). However, the EU is not a member of the United Nations (UN) or of any of the major UN organisations. It is not, for example, a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO), nor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank. Therefore, it participates in many international organisations through an observer status, the precise design of which depends on the text of the constituent charter of the organisation. For example, it enjoys ‘observer status’ at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), an ‘enhanced observer status’ at the General Assembly of the United Nations, and a ‘special position’ within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which may be considered very close to full membership. In this call for papers these organisations merely serve as examples and we welcome proposals dealing with other international organisations or fora
Papers will have to fit the general theme of the workshop and could for instance focus on:
- the numerous challenges the EU, and its Member States, have to face internally and externally in relation to the development of the EU as a diplomatic actor in international relations.
- the assessment and consequences of the EU’s status in the respective regional and global organisations: “full member”, “member organisation”, “observer status”, “enhanced observer status”, “full participant”, etc.
- the general assessment and potential of EU diplomatic action through these regional or global organisations.
- Themes related to the principles guiding EU diplomacy, EU priorities, tools used by the EU in multilateral diplomacy, the role of EU institutions in multilateral diplomacy, and coherence and effectiveness of EU multilateral diplomacy.
Papers can also look at the relationship with regional cooperation frameworks, as these bring new challenges for EU diplomacy in the different regions of the world. The following regional organisations serve merely as examples: ASEAN, African Union, League of Arab States, MERCOSUR, the Council of Europe, EFTA. Depending on the proposals to be received, a related panel might be organised within the Geneva workshop on this topic.
Submission, selection and publication process
Interested PhD students and early career scholars are strongly encouraged to submit proposals in English of 500 to 800 words. The proposals, accompanied by detailed CVs and short motivation letters, should be submitted to Prof. Christine Kaddous ([email protected]) by 20 June 2021.
A panel of University Professors will review the submitted proposals. Applicants will be informed about the outcome of the selection process no later than 10 July 2021.
Selected proposals will result in full papers (8.000-9.000 words, including footnotes) that are to be submitted by 15 October 2021 for circulation among commentators.
Depending on the quality and coherence of the papers submitted, the papers will be published in the Geneva Jean Monnet Working Papers Serie (https://www.ceje.ch/fr/recherche/publications/jean-monnet-working-papers/) and/or in an edited volume.
“Bridge” between the doctoral workshop and a high-level conference to be convened in Geneva
On 26 November 2021, a high-level conference with presentations by academics and practitioners will be convened in Geneva. All speakers in the doctoral workshop will be invited to attend that conference.
For any questions or inquiries please contact the workshop and conference convenor Prof. Christine Kaddous at [email protected].
Information courtesy: https://www.law.uga.edu/calling-all-papers/node/1148
