Punching Below its Weight? The European Union @ the United Nations General Assembly

The thesis explores and analyses the behaviour of the European Union vis-à-vis the promotion and protection of human rights within the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). It furthermore examines whether the theory of ‘normative power Europe’ is an appropriate theory in characterizing the external action of the EU at the UNGA. Drawing on seven interviews with EU and non-EU officials in both New York and Brussels, and through the method of discourse analysis, the thesis identifies four ‘core’ elements i.e. a) the structure of the UNGA, b) the intergovernmental nature of the EU (and the UNGA), c) the necessity for UN legitimacy in EU action and d) the norms and mechanisms, that ultimately determine the behaviour of the EU at the UNGA. The thesis additionally argues that, while the EU ideally would like to behave like a normative actor, its behaviour is prescribed by a number of limitations and inconsistencies, which ultimately hamper its effectiveness and credibility. Consequently the EU acts like a contradictory actor. In conclusion it is contended that the EU is an actor punching below its weight, as it, given its expanded membership and cooperation with like-minded states, should be able to be more effective, have more impact, and exercise more control than it currently does