WK 11 - RIGOs and EU

RIGOs can be both complementary and non-complementary with International Organizations (IOs), depending on various factors such as the specific RIGO, the context of their interaction, and the interests of the member states involved.

Factors that determine the degree of complementarity or conflict between RIGOs and IOs include:

1. Political Objectives: Alignment or divergence in goals between RIGOs and IOs.
2. Membership Composition: The interests and priorities of member states within each organization.
3. Geopolitical Context: Regional dynamics and external pressures that influence cooperation or competition.
4. Institutional Frameworks: The rules and structures governing interactions between RIGOs and IOs.

The Department for Exiting the European Union was created to manage the Brexit process.

The UK officially left the EU on 31 January 2020.

Possible economic outcomes of Brexit include a reduction of per-capita income and reduced immigration from European Economic Area countries to the UK.

Different states perceive RIGOs based on:

1. National Interests: How participation aligns with their strategic goals.
2. Historical Relationships: Past interactions with RIGOs and IOs can shape current perceptions.
3. Economic Benefits: The perceived economic advantages of engaging with RIGOs.
4. Cultural and Social Factors: Shared values or historical ties that influence attitudes towards RIGOs.

A region is defined as 'a group of countries located in the same geographically specified area', but it can also include non-geographic criteria such as language, ideology, culture, geopolitics, and level of economic development as per the UN Charter.

Cooperation among countries in a region is characterized by sustained, formal or informal collaboration for mutual gain.

The process of defining a region is described as 'an unstable and indeterminate process of multiple and competing logics (economic, technological, political, security, identity and community) with no overriding teleology or single end-point', indicating that dynamic regions are inherently unstable.

Regions are defined by territory and are closely linked to strategy and the dynamics of power competition.

Regions are seen as socially constructed and culturally made, serving as collective symbols chosen by groups to dominate specific places in the natural world.

Behavioral theories propose that political practices shape regions, indicating that space has behavioral properties and that regions express human practices and reflect shifting political practices.

RIGOs, or regionally-oriented intergovernmental organizations, are membership organizations that provide smaller states with a platform to have a greater voice in regional matters. For example, the Benelux countries and the Chiang Mai Initiative serve as alternatives to larger organizations like the IMF, allowing these smaller states to influence decisions that affect them more directly.

Young democracies may establish RIGOs to promote and influence democratic consolidation within their regions. By creating these organizations, they can ensure that democracy becomes a requirement for membership, effectively 'locking in' democratic practices and norms.

• Deepest and widest set addressing almost every issue area
• Tend to be tightly institutionalized
• Includes not only the EU but also organizations outside like the Council of Europe (Human Rights)

• Modest in scope and less autonomy
• Tend to be more informal and less institutionalized
• Focus on building consensus without making deep commitments

RIGOs serve as a stepping-stone between national and global governance, addressing global problems that cannot be effectively solved by states or international organizations alone. They help develop more extensive governance institutions for specific areas and may delegate activities or issues from international organizations. Additionally, RIGOs assist in creating multi-level and multi-actor governance, acting as a connection between global and domestic levels.

The levels of governance include:

1. Global level
2. Continental / EU level
3. National level
4. Regional level
5. City level
6. Village level

The actors involved are:

1. Civil society
2. Government
3. Business

The sectors represented include:

1. Tourism
2. Agriculture
3. Construction
4. Transport
5. Energy
6. Industry

RIGOs have a larger interest in conflict management due to their local knowledge, which enhances their legitimacy in addressing regional issues.

Regional development banks focus on specific developmental challenges of a region while cooperating with the World Bank, allowing for tailored solutions to local issues.

NATO can deploy forces more quickly than the Security Council, and its troops are generally better equipped and trained, allowing for more effective responses to security challenges.

RIGOs provide another point of engagement for various actors in global governance, including civil society (CS) and transnational corporations (TNCs).

It allows for collective self-defense in the face of an armed attack before the Security Council can take necessary measures to maintain peace and international security, which also permits the creation of regional security alliances.

Chapter VIII states that RIGOs can play a role in maintaining international peace and security, provided that such arrangements are consistent with the UN's purposes and principles.

The Agenda for Peace suggested that RIGOs could help lighten the burden of the Security Council and contribute to a deeper sense of participation, consensus, and democratization in international affairs.

Kofi Annan indicated that greater depth of cooperation between the UN and RIGOs would lead to more effective outcomes in international relations.

The UN Family includes UN regional commissions and permanent observers in the General Assembly such as the African Union (AU), Arab League, and ASEAN.

Other international organizations are concerned that RIGOs may take power, legitimacy, and influence away from them, particularly when RIGOs create alternative institutional structures to circumvent existing international organizations and engage in forum shopping for the best venue for states' interests.

Examples include:

• Africa: The old OAU failed to address regional conflicts like the Rwandan genocide.
• Latin America: The OAS could not halt civil wars in Central America during the 1980s and 1990s.
• Asia: ASEAN has acted ineffectively in resolving conflicts due to the differing interests of its member states.

The rise of regional FTAs may erode the central role of the WTO by providing alternative frameworks for trade that bypass global regulations, potentially diminishing the WTO's influence and legitimacy.

Institutions like the AIIB may undermine the roles of traditional global financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank by offering alternative sources of funding and support, thereby drawing legitimacy away from these established organizations.

• May be biased to pursue their own regional interests
• May be corrupt or lack experience or capacity
• May just be as bureaucratic as large international organizations (IOs)
• May increase the problem of institutional overlap

The EU combines attributes of a state and an international organization (IO), yet it closely resembles neither.

The EU is described as being unlike anything else; it is not a government, an association of states, or an international organization (IO).

27 member states

447 million, making it the 3rd largest population in the world

19 members share a common currency, which is used by approximately 300 million people

15% of world trade

The European Union was formed to avoid another world war, particularly to solve the 'German' question and to manage the French and German steel and coal industries under a common authority, making war impossible.

The Schumann Plan was based on Jean Monnet's idea that the French and German steel and coal industries should be managed under a common authority to prevent war.

EU members accept all EU legislation, commit to a free-market economy, and uphold the EU's democratic values.

The EU is described as a huge body of law impacting member states, individuals, and other countries indirectly, combining attributes of a state and an international organization, but is neither fully one nor the other.

Each state within the EU has exclusive sovereignty over its own territory, which raises questions about whether the EU is a regional state, a federal state, or a post-Westphalian state.

Italy, Benelux countries, France, and Germany formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

The Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC), which established a common market, and Euratom.

The EEC, ECSC, and Euratom merged to form the European Community (EC).

The European Union experienced 'Euro-stagnation' due to the oil crisis and recession, leading to disenchantment.

The Single European Act aimed to revitalize the European Union and move towards a single market.

Key amendments included the Treaty of Maastricht, Amsterdam, Nice, and Lisbon.

Brexit, the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, occurred in 2019.

The main objectives of a Common Market include:

1. Eliminating trade barriers between member states.
2. Creating a common customs tariff and commercial policy towards non-member states.
3. Allowing unhindered movement of goods, capital, services, and labor among member states.
4. Establishing a common set of rules about competition.
5. Aiming for Europe to become more economically interdependent, achieve higher standards of living, and have increased economic stability.

The Maastricht Treaty established the EU as an umbrella for ECSC, EEC, and Euratom, added foreign and defense policy and justice to the political union, launched the economic and monetary union and the Euro in 2002, created three pillars, and established European Citizenship, granting rights to citizens regardless of their member state.

The Amsterdam (1997) and Nice (2001) treaties reformed EU institutions to prepare for the addition of new member countries.

The Lisbon Treaty added the European Central Bank, European Council, Foreign Policy Chief, and Diplomatic Corps, collapsed three pillars into one institutional framework, and aimed to enhance the EU's efficiency, global influence, and democratic legitimacy while strengthening the European Parliament.

Denmark, Ireland, UK, Greece, Spain, and Portugal joined the EU during the enlargement periods of 1973-1986.

The Copenhagen Criteria include:

1. Market economy
2. Democracy
3. Rule of law
4. Human rights (HR)

Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU in 1995.

The consequences of EU enlargement include:

• Reflection of its success
• More difficult to govern
• Forced EU institutions to adapt to cope with larger membership
• New countries substantially poorer
• Dilution of voting power
• Politicised process

The future candidates for EU membership mentioned are Albania, Macedonia, Iceland, Montenegro, and Serbia.

The main institutions of the European Union include:

• European Commission
• Council of the EU
• European Parliament
• European Council
• European Court of Justice
• European Central Bank
• European Investment Bank

The main EU institutions are key actors that influence policy making and agenda setting, acting as more than just passive reflections of power politics among member states.

The European Commission is the executive body of the EU, responsible for proposing legislation, enforcing European law, setting objectives and priorities, and managing policies and budget. It also represents the EU in international organizations and responds to international obligations when proposing policies.

The European Commission has 33 departments, similar to state ministries, which are staffed by approximately 23,000 personnel. Each department oversees specific policy areas managed by 27 commissioners, one from each member state.

The European Citizen's Initiative allows 1 million EU citizens from at least 25% of member states to request the Commission to submit a proposal in one of its areas of competence. Topics have included water, diversity, extremism, wage gap, free movement, and vivisection.

The current President of the European Commission is Ursula von der Leyen from Germany.

The Council of the EU represents the interests of member states, serves as a decision-making body, and coordinates policies. It is where national ministers meet to co-decide EU laws, resolve issues, and develop joint and foreign defense policy for the EU. The presidency rotates every 6 months.

The European Parliament represents the citizens of the EU, with members directly elected by EU voters every 5 years. It is headquartered in Luxembourg and meets in Strasbourg and Brussels. The Parliament ensures that other institutions operate democratically and coordinates economic policies, debates, and passes European law and budget.

The current President of the European Parliament is Roberta Metsola from Malta. The most popular parties among MEPs are the European People's Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

The largest political group is the European People's Party (centre-right) with 217 seats.

The European United Left - Nordic Green Left represents the radical left and Nordic greens, with 68 seats.

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats holds 189 seats in the European Parliament.

The candidates from Italy are:

1. Eleonora Forenza
2. Gianni Pittella
3. Antonio Tajani

The total number of seats in the European Parliament is 751.

The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy is associated with the eurosceptic right, holding 42 seats.

The European Council acts as an advisory board, discussing the EU's political priorities and comprises the European Council president, the European Commission president, and heads of state. It was formalized by the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009.

The European Court of Justice interprets EU treaties and decisions, settles disputes between member states, individuals, and corporations, ensures compliance and uniformity, and has established that EU law has supremacy over national law.

The primary role of the ECB is to formulate monetary policy, maintain price stability, and keep inflation low to encourage economic growth in Eurozone members.

The main purpose of the EIB is to provide long-term lending to balance and steady economic growth in poorer member states, although currently, 90% of its lending goes to richer member states.

The members of the ECB Council include the governors of national banks. They decide on interest rates, broad monetary objectives, and reserves.

Currently, 10% of the European Investment Bank's lending is directed towards non-EU states.

The European Investment Bank is the world's largest multilateral lender and borrower by volume, with significant lending activity, such as 71.7 billion Euro in 2013.

The EU is a party to some 50 international UN agreements as the only non-state participant.

The EU has the following enhanced powers at the General Assembly:

1. The right to speak in debates
2. The ability to submit proposals and amendments
3. The right of reply
4. The ability to raise points of order
5. The ability to circulate documents

The EU is a full participant at certain UN summits, such as the Rio and Kyoto summits on climate change, including hosting a summit.

The EU is acknowledged as a special example of the most complex and highly-developed Regional Intergovernmental Organization (RIGO).

The challenges facing the EU include:

1. Difficulties in defining its current role.
2. Disillusionment among citizens, particularly the youth, who no longer associate the EU with greater freedom and opportunity, but rather blame it for financial pain, prolonged joblessness, and a lack of democratic choice.

The argument for 'More Europe' suggests that increased integration is necessary for Europe to have a more powerful international role. This includes enhancing collective decision-making and strengthening the EU's influence on global issues.

The 'Less Europe' perspective raises concerns that countries are giving up too much sovereignty. This is exemplified by the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty by France and the Netherlands, as well as the initial rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by Ireland.

The Eurocrisis was primarily caused by European banks investing in the US mortgage market, which subsequently crashed. This led to economic contraction, rising unemployment, stagnant growth, and political unrest across Europe.

The EU pressured Greece to implement financial reforms, which resulted in strikes, demonstrations, and riots. Ultimately, a 110 billion euro bailout package was provided by the ECB and IMF, although it was criticized as being too little too late, highlighting deeper issues within the economy.

The Eurocrisis led to significant political unrest in Greece, culminating in the election of a new government as citizens reacted to the financial pressures and reforms imposed by the EU.

The voter turnout for the Brexit referendum was 72.2%.

51.9% of voters chose to leave the EU in the Brexit referendum.

Article 50 of the Treaty of the EU was invoked to initiate Brexit.

The transition period lasted for 11 months after the UK left the EU.

The UK was not seeking membership of the single market or customs union post-Brexit.

The UK aimed to incorporate existing EU law into UK domestic law as part of the Brexit process.