Factors and parameters of the EU performance in international organisations : a theoretical framework

Abstract

The formulation of a distinctive and visible profile on the international stage is one of the central, challenging issues that the European Union has faced over recent decades. Developing this profile is essentially determined by (a) how the EU negotiates in diverse international contexts and (b) what are the outcomes of these negotiations. This paper aims to unravel the negotiating approach the EU follows in different circumstances. To do so, we employ an inductive approach, examining the EU’s negotiating behaviour in: (a) the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and (b) the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The case-studies pertain to the EU’s involvement in international human rights negotiations, thus offering valuable input both to the specific literature and to the literature on the EU’s international performance. We propose an ex post theoretical framework on the EU negotiating tactics in the United Nations (UN), identifying the factors and the parameters which condition its negotiating strategy and its international performance.