The European Union, A Healthy Negotiator? A Study on its Unity in External Representation and Performance in the World Health Organization

Schaik, L. van (2009). The European Union, A Healthy Negotiator? A Study on its Unity in External Representation and Performance in the World Health Organization. IIASA Interim Report. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: IR-09-015

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Abstract

In this article the effectiveness of the member states of the European Union (EU) and the European Commission in negotiations taking place in the World Health Organisation (WHO) is analysed and related to its ability to act as a united bloc. EU unity in external representation is taken to result from European Community (EC) competence, preference homogeneity and processes of socialisation among EU member states representatives. A comparison is made between the negotiations on global strategies on diet, physical activity and health (DPAS, 2004) and on public health, innovation and intellectual property (PHI, 2008). In the DPAS, member states operated primarily on the basis of national positions, whereas in the PHI they operated on the basis of a coordinated position brought forward by the EU presidency and European Commission. In both cases the EU (or a majority of EU member states) was moderately successful in obtaining its objectives in the negotiations. More unity in external representation originated from the Commission claiming EC competence, a pro-active EU presidency and a process of intensive EU coordination becoming gradually institutionalised. Member states' representatives identified economies of scale in conducting a unified external representation, although their initial preferences were rather different. Identified drawbacks included the extensive time spent in EU coordination, the dependency on the intention and qualities of the lead negotiator, and the EUs difficulties with reacting swiftly to new issues coming up in the negotiations.

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