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Global governance

Global governance - understood as a combination of security providers, policies and underlying norms – is directly affected by the simultaneous evolution of threats and shifting centres of power. On the one hand, the world remains characterised by instability, conflict and human suffering, as well as by high levels of strategic uncertainty. On the other, institutions like the United Nations, the African Union or the European Union itself – as well as non-governmental organisations – have developed a wide range of tools to tackle evolving dangers.

International law and regimes, including norms on intervention (peacekeeping, the responsibility to protect) or justice (International Criminal Court), also provide a political and legal framework for global regulation efforts.But existing mechanisms are being increasingly called into question over their effectiveness and levels of legitimacy, in particular by those not represented in decision-making. This in turn challenges the position and role of the European Union and its aspirations to be both a norm-setter and a broad security provider.

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    15April 2013
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    Nuclear multilateralisation - and Europe’s role

    Although considerable progress has been made regarding the implementation of multilateral nuclear approaches (MNAs) over the past few years, the drive appears to have already lost much momentum since its reinvigoration a decade ago. There is much potential in this realm for the EU to play a constructive role and for its internal diversity to become a foreign policy asset.

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    08April 2013
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    Dimming power: Naim or Nye?

    From social media to irregular warfare and venture capital, a new political landscape characterised by power diffusion is clearly emerging. As a result, today’s (old and new) power holders not only bear responsibility for governing their own people; in the current hyper-connected world, their actions also have global repercussions.

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    27March 2013
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    The future of the CWC in the post-destruction phase
    With contributions from

    Since the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1997, much progress has been made in destroying existing stockpiles of chemical weapons. However, the CWC is faced with new threats and challenges due to advances in science and technology and the changing international security, political and economic environment. On the eve of the Third Review Conference of the treaty, this report examines some of the most pressing challenges facing the CWC over the next decade.

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    18December 2012
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    UNSCR 1540 and the EU: reinforcing national responsibilities

    For nearly a decade now, the EU has provided decisive support to international efforts to combat WMD proliferation. This policy brief illustrates the added value of EU support to existing international instruments dealing with non-proliferation, while recommending concrete steps to improve EU efforts to foster greater international cooperation.

  • 07December 2012
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    A noble prize

    The decison to award the European Union with the Nobel Peace Prize has both elicted praise and caused controversy. Yet rather than a reward for the present, the prize must be seen as a recognition for the past and an encouragement for the future.

  • 10September 2012
    Future of the Chemical Weapons Convention: transitioning towards the post-destruction phase

    This workshop was an in-depth brainstorming session on the future of the Chemical Weapons Convention and it took place in Brussels with officials from EU member states and candidate countries.

  • 06September 2012
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    Europe's diplomacy needs a radio station

    Europe has often been criticised for not speaking with a common voice on the global stage, for being inefficient at explaining itself to the outside world, and for becoming old-fashioned, bypassed by emerging powers, and lagging behind as a cultural reference to other societies. How to ensure that Europe again becomes a leading force in promoting universal democratic values and human rights, and asserting itself as a global rule-maker against tyrannies and imperialism? 

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    15May 2012
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    L'investissement de l'UE dans la sécurité collective en Afrique centrale : un pari risqué

    L’interrogation à laquelle tente de répondre la présente étude est de savoir si l’investissement de l’UE dans la CEEAC en tant qu’acteur de sécurité collective en Afrique centrale se justifie. Le constat, il faut le regretter, n’est pas encourageant. Intervenant sur un milieu il est vrai peu porteur, l’UE ne s’est pas donné les moyens des fins affichées.

  • 15May 2012
    Global Trends 2030 - Citizens in an Interconnected and Polycentric World - Brussels launch

    The EUISS report Global Trends 2030: Citizens in an Interconnected and Polycentric World was launched in Brussels with an introduction by James Elles MEP, followed by a presentation of the report by the EUISS Director Álvaro de Vasconcelos.  

    The three major global trends shaping the future were said to be:

  • 09May 2012
    Global Trends 2030 - Citizens in an Interconnected and Polycentric World - Washington, D.C launch

    The EUISS report 'Global Trends 2030: Citizens in an Interconnected and Polycentric World' was launched in Washington, D.C on 9 May 2012 in partnership with the Atlantic Council. Following a welcome by Banning Garrett, Director of Strategic Foresight Initiative at the Atlantic Council, an introduction was made by H.E Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States. The report was then presented by James Elles MEP and EUISS Director Álvaro de Vasconcelos.

    The three major global trends shaping the future were said to be: 

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    22October 2010
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    The Institute's quarterly newsletter No. 33

    In this quarter's issue of the newsletter, EUISS director Álvaro de Vasconcelos, explores the increasing inter-connection of actors beyond the big powers, F. Stephen Larrabee highlights the work yet to be done by the EU in the Balkans and the Eastern neighbourhood, and Luis Peral considers the EU's responsibility within the International Criminal Court.

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    13July 2010
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    The Institute's quarterly newsletter No.32

    In this quarter's issue of the newsletter, EUISS director Álvaro de Vasconcelos writes about Europe's need to continue impressing its brand of multilateral governance. Guest author Srdjan Dizdarevic; suggests that for BiH to move faster towards the EU, civil society is key in pushing the country's politicians for faster reforms. EUISS Senior Research Fellow Giovanni Grevi explores the future of global governance amidst the shifts in power away from the EU and the US and toward emerging countries.

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    19April 2010
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    Nuclear weapons after the 2010 NPT Review Conference

    The Non-Proliferation Treaty is a central pillar in global efforts to prevent a destabilising armament competition and, worse still, nuclear war. Chaillot Paper No. 120 analyses the issues affecting the NPT in the lead-up to the 2010 Review Conference that will take place amid rising proliferation concerns and a renewed focus on disarmament.

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    09April 2010
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    A Good START

    The New START, a bilateral nuclear arms reduction treaty, aims to significantly reduce the weapons stockpiles of both the US and Russia. While it may be seen as a positive step towards disarmament and for US-Russia relations, getting it past the US Senate is Obama’s next big challenge, writes Jean Pascal Zanders.

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    23December 2009
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    Putting the Copenhagen failure to a good use

    It is not all gloom and doom. The Copenhagen Summit was the first of its kind. Never before had the international community been so well represented in its willingness to engage in efforts to save the world from the effects of climate change. It was in the context of Copenhagen that the United States committed itself to a thorough - if insufficient - emissions reduction scheme. The other top polluter, China, also began to use a different language compared to only a couple of years ago. Progress has been made. But given the scale of the challenge, it is profoundly unsatisfactory.

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    28October 2009
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    Global security in a multipolar world

    In the world in 2009, how can the main global players establish a common approach to security and what form will this take? In particular, will this common approach to security be derived from or related to the concept of human security? In order to answer these questions, contributors to this Chaillot Paper were asked to analyse how threats to national and international security are defined in the country of concern.

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    08October 2009
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    The Institute's quarterly newsletter No.30

    Articels in this ISSue: Álvaro de Vasconcelos looks back to 1989 and draws conclusions for Europe today, Ahmet Davutoglu outlines his vision of future EU - NATO cooperation and the role of non-EU allies in contributing to the European Security and Defence Policy and Jean Pascal Zanders looks at Obama and the the first steps toward disarmament.

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    26June 2009
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    The interpolar world: a new scenario

    Giovanni Grevi sketches out a new scenario for the changing international system: the interpolar world. He suggests that the shifts in global power will be shaped by the necessities of increasing interdependence - not least to confront shared challenges, from the economic crisis to climate change, and their political and security implications.

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    20January 2009
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    European perspectives on the new American foreign policy agenda
    With contributions from

    This collaborative effort of the EUISS research team highlights what it considers to be the major political event of 2009: the election of President Barack Obama and the impact that the change in the American administration will have on the world. It covers the priority areas for US-EU cooperation of global governance, climate change, disarmament and non-proliferation, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and transatlantic relations.

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    17December 2008
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    Scanning the future: American and European perspectives

    This policy brief reviews the recent US National Intelligence report on global trends in 2025, which predicts a more multipolar and heterogenous world, characterised by non-state actors and rising powers with different priorities such as China, India and Russia. In a world where Europe risks losing its clout, the brief urges the US and the EU to work together in reforming multilateral structures, developing common strategies to engage the new global players, and facing new environmental, demographic and economic challenges.

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