About the project
The Jean Monnet Network ‘Interparliamentary Cooperation in the EU's external action – Parliamentary Scrutiny and Diplomacy in the EU and beyond’ (PACO) brings together three inter-related teaching and research areas: EU external relations, inter-parliamentary cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy.
As the EU has become a progressive actor in international relations with respect to its increased powers in the field of external relations (i.e. trade policies), the Lisbon Treaty has underlined the increasing need for more inter-parliamentary cooperation between the European Parliament and National Parliaments. Hence, the necessity to exchange information between the European Parliament and the National Parliaments regarding EU external action as well as the potential to scrutinize external actions of the EU, has become increasingly prominent.
At the same time, with greater diplomatic activities between the EU and the rest of the world, public diplomacy becomes an ever more important instrument. In this context, the bilateral and multilateral parliamentary diplomacy, between the EP and third countries and regions, bares the potential to become a complementary element of EU external action and diplomacy.
Objectives
The growing powers of the European Parliament (EP) from the Lisbon Treaty, alongside the obligation for inter-parliamentary cooperation in the EU treaties are important dynamics in the field of EU external relations. These dynamics have often been overlooked by ongoing research and teaching, with the central focus of scholars and practitioners being linked to the new bodies and capacities of the EU in the field (i.e. EEAS, HR/VP).
Focusing on and analysing inter-parliamentary cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy are the objectives of PACO:
- PACO aims to discover and explain if and why inter-parliamentary cooperation in the field of external relations (i.e. CFSP/CSDP, human rights, development, trade, etc.) has contributed towards increased scrutiny by the EP and national parliaments
- PACO aims to discover and explain if and why parliamentary diplomacy can add to the diplomatic tool set (i.e. public diplomacy) in the EU’s cooperation with third partners via its own delegations at the bilateral and multilateral levels (i.e. countries, regional blocs like the ACP and the Eastern Partnership or regional organizations like the African Union).
- PACO aims to contribute to a new understanding of the role of European parliaments (EP, national parliaments) in EU external action.
ARENA's role in the project
The ARENA team consists of John Erik Fossum, Christopher Lord and Espen D.H. Olsen. They contribute to the network's research activities though a conceptualisation of inter-parliamentary cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy, as well as empirical analysis of such cooperation and comparative analysis of the EU and other countries and international organisations in this field.
News
Inter-parliamentary cooperation discussed
Christopher Lord was among the panelists at an international workshop in the European Parliament in Brussels in December 2014.
The EU-funded Jean Monnet Network 'Interparliamentary Cooperation in the EU's External Action - Parliamentary Scrutiny and Diplomacy in the EU and Beyond' (PACO) started in September 2014. It brings together seven partners to investigate three interrelated teaching and research areas: EU external relations, inter-parliamentary cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy.
The first network event took place in the European Parliament in Brussels on 5 December 2014. Prof. Christopher Lord was one of the discussants at the panel debate: 'The role of parliaments in EU external action – what is in for parliamentary accountability and inter-parliamentary cooperation?
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