Speaking with One Voice: Easier Said than Done? The EU in the UNGA

Abstract

Today, cooperation beyond the nation-state takes place in numerous regional organisations (RO) and international organisations (IO). Even if ROs themselves have no formal competencies within IO negotiations, they can de facto turn into actors within IOs if their respective member states coordinate common positions on the basis of which the RO can speak with one voice. This chapter analyses the ability of the European Union (EU) to speak with one voice in the United Nations General Assembly. The EU is the first RO that obtained an enhanced observer status in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), but the chapter argues that even in this case the usage of new speaking rights ultimately depends on the ability of the member states to effectively negotiate a common RO position in the first place.