This paper examines to what extent the EU member states (MS) were able to influence the EU’s role during the trade negotiations with South Africa and, thus, objected the exclusivity of the European Commission in the respective policy domain stipulated by Art. G(113(3)) TEU .
The powerful position of the EU within the context of the TDCA negotiations presents a good opportunity to investigate the impact of the MS during this process. Hence, the first chapter outlines the concept of actorness coined by Jupille and Caporaso (1998) which serves as the analytical framework for this paper. The authors defined four aspects of the capacity of the Union to act which are applied to the EU in the field of study: recognition, authority, autonomy and cohesion. The second chapter presents a thorough analysis of the EU’s capacity to act on the bilateral level of trade negotiations, in particular the TDCA with South Africa. Here, special focus is placed on the involvement of the MS to evaluate the extent to which the Common Commercial Policy is dealt with by EU institutions exclusively. Lastly, the conclusion summarizes the findings allowing an assessment of the extent to which the legally prescribed sole decision power in the EU’s trade policy was in fact apparent in the process of negotiating the TDCA.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analytical Framework
3. The Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement
4. The EU’s Actorness Within Bilateral Trade Negotiations
4.1 Recognition
4.2 Authority
4.3 Autonomy
4.4 Cohesion
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the extent to which Member States were able to influence the European Union’s role during trade negotiations with South Africa, thereby challenging the exclusive competence of the European Commission in the Common Commercial Policy.
- The European Union's concept of actorness in international trade.
- Evaluation of the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA).
- Mechanisms of Member State interference in supranational negotiations.
- Analysis of institutional power dynamics between the Commission and the Council.
Excerpt from the Book
The EU’s Actorness Within Bilateral Trade Negotiations
Jupille and Caporaso’s concept (1998) offers various opportunities for the MS to influence the EU’s actorness. Yet, the criteria of ‘recognition’ and ‘authority’ are less likely to be impacted by MS than the aspects of ‘autonomy’ and ‘cohesion’. However, as they are all interrelated and only together account for an assessment of the EU’s actorness, this paper examines the Union’s role within the TDCA negotiations with respect to its recognition, authority, autonomy and cohesion, respectively. Nevertheless, the focus is set on the third and fourth criteria as they present the MS with the most promising opportunities to influence the trade negotiations between the EU and South Africa which build the main topic of investigation of this paper.
Recognition According to Jupille and Caporaso (1998), recognition refers to the “acceptance of and interaction with the entity [European Union] by others” (p. 214). As mentioned above, they distinguish between de jure and de facto recognition; however, the latter is most suitable when assessing the EU’s actorness as it is does not presuppose sovereignty what the de jure recognition does. Regarding the Union’s capacity to act within the context of the TDCA negotiations, the respective dialogue shows that South Africa had accepted the EU as a partner and anticipated closer ties in form of an economic agreement signed by both parties.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the historical background of European integration and introduces the research question regarding the EU's exclusive competence in trade policy.
Analytical Framework: Details the theoretical foundation by defining the four criteria of actorness: recognition, authority, autonomy, and cohesion.
The Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement: Outlines the scope and key provisions of the economic and developmental agreement between the EU and South Africa.
The EU’s Actorness Within Bilateral Trade Negotiations: Analyzes the practical application of the actorness criteria during the TDCA negotiations, highlighting where Member State influence occurred.
Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming that while the EU is a recognized global actor, its autonomy and cohesion are significantly constrained by internal Member State interference.
Keywords
European Union, Common Commercial Policy, Actorness, Jupille and Caporaso, Trade Development and Cooperation Agreement, South Africa, Member States, Commission, Council of Ministers, Trade Negotiations, Autonomy, Cohesion, Authority, Recognition, Supranationalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the capacity of the European Union to act as a unified actor in international trade negotiations, using the TDCA with South Africa as a case study to identify how Member States interfere with the Commission's exclusive trade competence.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The themes include the theory of EU actorness, the institutional structure of EU trade policy, the specific nuances of the EU-South Africa trade agreement, and the tension between supranational Commission power and intergovernmental interests.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to evaluate whether the legally prescribed sole decision-making power of the European Commission in trade policy is consistently upheld or if it is effectively challenged by the interests of Member States.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The study employs a theoretical framework based on Jupille and Caporaso’s (1998) four indicators of actorness: recognition, authority, autonomy, and cohesion, applied qualitatively to the TDCA case study.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body breaks down the TDCA negotiations through the lens of the four actorness criteria, analyzing the legal basis, political directives, and the level of consistency between European institutions.
How is the EU's "actorness" characterized in this study?
The study characterizes EU actorness as a dynamic, evolving capacity that exists on a spectrum; it is largely recognized externally but internally vulnerable to fragmentation by Member State preferences.
What impact did the Southern Africa Working Group (SAWG) have?
The SAWG played a crucial role in providing Member States with an official channel to monitor and influence the Commission's negotiating position, thereby serving as a mechanism to weaken the Commission's autonomy.
Why are the TDCA negotiations considered a "three-level game"?
They are described as a three-level game involving intra-Commission bargaining, inter-institutional negotiations between the Commission and the Council, and the international negotiations with South Africa.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2012, How Exclusive a Competence is the Common Commercial Policy?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1477954
