CELS: 'International Law Cooperation between EU Member States'

Dr Angelos Dimopoulos (QMUL) will give a CELS lunchtime seminar on: "International Law Cooperation between EU Member States".

This paper examines how EU Member States can and do cooperate outside the EU legal framework (extra EU cooperation). International law has been traditionally a very useful tool for enhancing cooperation and strengthening integration between EU Member States. The process of European integration is replete with examples that started as extra EU cooperation before being embedded in the EU legal order, such as the Schengen regime. Although the EU has tolerated, and in certain instances encouraged extra EU cooperation, since the 1990s the EU has gradually become the favoured institutional framework for housing any cooperation between Member States and ensuring a common voice internationally in relations with third countries. Yet, this has been challenged by Member States, which have recently resorted repeatedly to extra EU cooperation. Moreover, the expansion of EU law has resulted in an uneasy coexistence of the EU with its Member States in international fora that still govern inter se affairs, such as, in the fields of investment protection and human rights.

Against this background this project examines the constitutional framework within which EU Member States cooperate outside the EU legal framework. In that context, this paper focuses on the constraints posed by EU law on Member States to negotiate, conclude and retain international treaties in inter se affairs. It is argued that next to competence considerations, additional EU law principles, such as sincere cooperation and autonomy, affect the ability of Member States to decide when and how they can cooperate with each other outside the EU legal framework.

The talk will take place at 1:05pm – 1:55pm in lecture room B16, Faculty of Law.
A sandwich lunch is provided at 12:45pm.
There is no charge for lunch or to attend the seminar.

Enquiries to: cels@law.cam.ac.uk