Background and aim

Over time the EU’s external powers have continuously grown, including with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. The European Union is for example the only non-state actor that participates in international functional regimes on equal footing with states. In certain policy areas, such as international trade, it has greater relevance and visibility than its Member States. In other areas, such as international security, the EU is expected to establish an international position, not only by its citizens but also by third countries. 

The EU’s intensified external actions have consequences for the power division within the EU. The different institutions are involved to a different extent depending on whether a policy is pursued internally or externally. Established organizational principles under EU law, such as subsidiarity and sincere cooperation, are interpreted differently. This one-day conference will examine how powers within the EU shift as a consequence of the EU’s external actions and what this may mean in the light of a particular understanding of sovereignty.

Speakers, Discussants & Chairs

• Dr Matej Avbelj, Graduate School of Government and European Studies, Kranj, Slovenia
• Prof. Leonard Besselink, University of Amsterdam, ACELG
• Prof. Steven Blockmans, University of Amsterdam, ACELG & CEPS
• Dr Andres Delgado Casteleiro, Durham University
• Dr Christina Eckes, University of Amsterdam, ACELG 
• Prof. Christophe Hillion, University of Leiden & University of Gothenburg
• Prof. Gerhard Hoogers, University of Groningen
• Prof. Pieter Jan Kuijper, University of Amsterdam
• Dr. Joris Larik, The Hague Institute for Global Justice
• Prof. Eleftheria Neframi, University of Luxembourg
• Dr Guri Rosen, University of Oslo
• Dr Jan Willem van Rossem, Utrecht University
• Prof. Ramses Wessel, University of Twente

Attendance and registration

Registration for this event is no longer possible

This conference is part of the NWO project 'Outside-In. Tracing the Imprint of the European Union’s External Actions on Its Constitutional Landscape', carried out by Christina Eckes and funded by the NWO, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.