New book: EU foreign policy, Transitional Justice and Mediation: Principle, policy, and practice
This book analyses how the European Union translates its principles of peace and justice into policy and puts them into practice, particularly in societies in or emerging from violent conflict. The European Union treaty states that in its relations with the wider world, the EU is to promote peace,...
Make do, or mend? EU security provision in complex conflicts: the Democratic Republic of Congo
This article, published in European Security (2014), assesses whether the EU contributes to long-term positive change in societies emerging from violent conflict, helping them ‘mend’ or whether it simply encourages societies to ‘make do’ with the status quo. To do so, the article focuses on two of the...
The Nobel Challenge
The EU’s Nobel Peace Prize is well-deserved. The EU has transformed most of Europe from a continent of war to one of peace, as the committee said. It has done so by supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law, building interdependent economies and institutions. Far from the spotlight...
Institution-itis?
In this letter to the European Voice (published 11 October 2012), I argue that the EU has the instruments to build peace but tends not to use them effectively. Any future European Institute of Peace should harness the wealth of experience and expertise in the EU institutions and in think-tanks,...
The EU, transitional justice & mediation
The European Union is increasingly involved in mediating peace deals around the world, and has strong commitments to international justice and human rights. Including justice provisions for the victims of a conflict in the peace agreement may make an important contribution to a durable peace. In this paper published...
The EU and transitional justice
Transitional justice can help societies address the legacy of systematic human rights violations committed during violent conflict and repressive rule through prosecutions, truth-seeking, reparations and institutional reform. Transitional justice is not a new field for the EU, and the EU is a major contributor to transitional justice initiatives, especially...