The Promotion of Good Governance as an Autonomous Objective of the EU’s External Relations

This volume enquires into selected legal problems that the EU’s contribution to human rights protection in the world entails, taking into consideration not only the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), but also other aspects of EU external action, such as development cooperation and the Common Commercial Policy. Hence, the title: ‘Protecting Human Rights in the European Union’s External Relations’. In a nutshell, the themes investigated are the following: the limits to the Commission’s discretion in exercising administrative powers in the implementation of the EU’s human rights policy; and the strengths and weaknesses of selected legal instruments - such as human rights clauses in EU agreements, the Council guidelines on human rights, and unilateral measures such as trade incentives - used to promote respect for human rights. Two papers specifically focus on the promotion of social rights, labour standards and good governance practices in the world. The final research theme, explored by the last two pieces, concerns the international responsibility of the EU and/or its Member States when breaches of human rights are committed in the course of CSDP military missions, in particular Operations EU NAVFOR Med Sophia and EU NAVFOR Atalanta.