How effective are the EU Special Representatives in the Western Balkans in promoting the EU's policies and interests? Analysis of their actions and contributions to the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy regarding their missions

Details

Supervisors

Delreux, Tom

Faculty

Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales, politiques et de communication

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences politiques, orientation relations internationales, à finalité spécialisée: diplomatie et résolution des conflits

Abstract

Generally described as the voice, face, eyes, and ears of the European Union, EU Special Representatives (EUSRs) are a unique tool at the service of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Primarily designed for conflict management, EUSRs are senior European diplomats sent to countries, regions, or on a theme of importance to the EU, with the aim of demonstrating its engagement, interests, and visibility. Since 1996, when the first position was opened by the High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana to the Great Lakes region, up to sixty EUSRs have been nominated, and more than twenty positions have been opened. At present, the EU has ten EUSR positions, three of which are dedicated to the Western Balkans. These three EUSRs are the EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Mr Ambassador Johan Sattler, the EU Special Representative for Kosovo, Mr Ambassador Tomas Szunyog, and the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkans regional issues, Mr Ambassador Miroslav Lajčák. Their presence signifies a significant shift from the EU's historical challenges in the Western Balkans when facing the civil war in former Yugoslavia. Since the late nineties, the EU's approach has evolved into a stabilisation logic, manifested through the creation of the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). These agreements have granted Western Balkans countries a “European perspective,” as affirmed at the Thessaloniki Summit (2003) and in the Tirana Declaration (2022), marking a positive trajectory for the region. The three EUSRs under study operate within a complex framework, each with a specific mandate tailored to the needs of its respective country/theme on the back of a potential EU integration. For instance, the EUSRs in Kosovo and BiH focus on promoting the Rule of Law, multi-ethnicity, and the EU’s coherence, reflecting the EU's commitment to these principles. The EUSR for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkans regional issues prioritises facilitating the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia while enhancing the Union’s visibility in the Western Balkans through public diplomacy. This study aims to assess the three EUSRs' effectiveness in promoting the EU’s policies and interests in its mandate areas by analysing their actions and contributions to the CFSP. To this end, a particular focus will be applied to their legal and institutional framework and the power they receive from the twenty-seven member states.