INTERNATIONAL & EUROPEAN
RELATIONS
Inhoudsopgave
Definition and major actors in international relations.........................................................2
Definition international relations.....................................................................................3
case study - Two major conflicts......................................................................................3
Russia-Ukraine.............................................................................................................. 3
Palestine-Israël............................................................................................................. 3
What is a state?............................................................................................................... 4
4 important factors....................................................................................................... 4
But What about?........................................................................................................... 4
Recognition of states - 2 positions on this matter.........................................................4
International organisations..............................................................................................5
Examples...................................................................................................................... 5
When do you have an international organisation?........................................................5
International (transnational) non-governmental organizations (that play a role in
international relations)................................................................................................. 6
Theories on international relations -3 big categories.......................................................7
Realism:........................................................................................................................ 7
Liberalism or pluralism:................................................................................................ 7
Economic structuralism:............................................................................................... 8
International cooperation in international organizations: peace and security.....................9
United Nations................................................................................................................. 9
Principles of the UN...................................................................................................... 9
Some general features and basics of the UN................................................................9
The United Nations and the maintenance of international peace and security:..........12
Assignment - evaluation of the UN.............................................................................32
nord atlantic treaty organization - NATO.......................................................................34
Some general features and basics..............................................................................34
NATO and the maintenance of peace and security:....................................................37
NATO and the maintenance of peace and security - Vervolg:.....................................44
Case studies NATO..................................................................................................... 45
Assignment – evaluation of the NATO.........................................................................47
Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE).........................................48
Some general features and basics..............................................................................48
1
, OSCE and the maintenance of peace and security.....................................................52
The future of the OSCE............................................................................................... 55
Evaluation of the OSCE............................................................................................... 55
making the comparison between the different organisations........................................56
Check your process........................................................................................................... 58
Are the following statements true or false? – Examenvragen........................................58
Essay Questions............................................................................................................. 59
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: HUMAN RIGHTS
PROTECTION..................................................................................................................... 60
United Nations............................................................................................................... 60
Some general features and basics:.............................................................................60
The United Nations and the protection of human rights.............................................61
Enforcement............................................................................................................... 64
Assignment.................................................................................................................... 69
Council of Europe........................................................................................................... 70
Some general features and basics..............................................................................70
Major purpose Council of Europe:..............................................................................72
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (1950) + Protocols (1,4, 6,
7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16):........................................................................................... 72
European Social Charter (1961) + Revised Social Charter (1996).............................72
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (1950) + Protocols (1,4, 6,
7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) – VERVOLG.........................................................................73
European Social Charter (1961) + Revised Social Charter (1996) - Vervolg...............78
Evaluation.................................................................................................................. 79
Private business enterprises and human rights.............................................................81
Traditional view.......................................................................................................... 81
Non-legally binding initiatives to enhance corporate accountability for adverse human
rights impact.............................................................................................................. 81
Growing number of initiatives making corporate human rights responsibility
mandatory.................................................................................................................. 81
EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (2024).......................................82
Check your progress 2...................................................................................................... 83
International cooperation in international organizations: international trade...................84
The world trade organization......................................................................................... 84
Some general features and basics..............................................................................84
Basic rules and principles of the WTO trading system................................................88
WTO dispute settlement............................................................................................. 93
Q&A 28/11/2024............................................................................................................... 97
DEFINITION AND MAJOR ACTORS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
2
,DEFINITION INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- Are relations that take place across national boundaries.
Better term: world politics
CASE STUDY - TWO MAJOR CONFLICTS
Important actors in the conflict:
RUSSIA-UKRAINE
MAJOR ACTORS?
o The EU (mainly the west)
Ukraine wants to be in the EU
They support Ukr by delivering weapons, planes,…
o Finland, Poland,..
o China, Belarus,.. -> they support Russia
o The US
o NATO
o The UN
o Russian multinationals, banks, oil & gas market,..
o Putin, Zelensky, Biden
o Impact of social media
o …
PALESTINE-ISRAËL
MAJOR ACTORS?
o The USA
Supports Israel, they deliver weapons
o The UN -> they try to negociate a ceasefire
o Libanon, Egypt,… -> support Palestina and also got attacked by Israel
o Syria
o Hamas
o Biden
o Prime minister of Israel -> Netanayhu
o Social media
o Weapon industry
o The red cross, amnesty international -> NGO’s
o Private companies and big multinationals, they chose a side and donate
money
o The international criminal court (in den Haag/ the Hague)
Prosecute individuals who committed very serious war crimes,
genocides an crimes against humanity
They issue dan arrest warrant for Putin and are investigating the
situation in Gaza & the West Bank
o …
3
, WHAT IS A STATE?
4 IMPORTANT FACTORS
o A territory (with more or less fixed borders)
o A population (living on that specific territory)
o A government (with laws, rules,..)
o Capacity to enter into relations with other states
BUT WHAT ABOUT?...
o Taiwan
o Kosovo
o Palestine
o …
- -> the problem is the aspect of recognition => are they recognised as a state?
o There is no international government who decides what is a state and what
isn’t
FOR EXAMPLE - TAIWAN:
a small minority of the states around the world have
recognised Taiwan as a state
A lot of states fear China, reaction of China is that they
severe all public relations with states that recognises Taiwan
as a state
But what happened?
o Civil war 1940s -> nationalist government fled to the
island ‘Taiwan’
o communist government keeps on recognising Taiwan
as a part of China and wants to integrate it again ->
difficult situation
FOR EXAMPLE – KOSOVO
Many states fear that if they recognise Kosovo, it’s an
incentitive for other regions to become independent
FOR EXAMPLE – PALESTINE
Few years ago -> there was a territory, a population and a
government
In the UN -> Palestine is recognised as an observer ->> not
a membership in the UN but the start of it (but less rights as
a state entity)
o In the UN it’s accepted as a state!!
Right now even more difficult
RECOGNITION OF STATES - 2 POSITIONS ON THIS MATTER
o Constitutive theory:
Recognition is a requirement, otherwise you won’t be a state
o Declaratory theory :
if you have the factors which define a state, you are a state
4
RELATIONS
Inhoudsopgave
Definition and major actors in international relations.........................................................2
Definition international relations.....................................................................................3
case study - Two major conflicts......................................................................................3
Russia-Ukraine.............................................................................................................. 3
Palestine-Israël............................................................................................................. 3
What is a state?............................................................................................................... 4
4 important factors....................................................................................................... 4
But What about?........................................................................................................... 4
Recognition of states - 2 positions on this matter.........................................................4
International organisations..............................................................................................5
Examples...................................................................................................................... 5
When do you have an international organisation?........................................................5
International (transnational) non-governmental organizations (that play a role in
international relations)................................................................................................. 6
Theories on international relations -3 big categories.......................................................7
Realism:........................................................................................................................ 7
Liberalism or pluralism:................................................................................................ 7
Economic structuralism:............................................................................................... 8
International cooperation in international organizations: peace and security.....................9
United Nations................................................................................................................. 9
Principles of the UN...................................................................................................... 9
Some general features and basics of the UN................................................................9
The United Nations and the maintenance of international peace and security:..........12
Assignment - evaluation of the UN.............................................................................32
nord atlantic treaty organization - NATO.......................................................................34
Some general features and basics..............................................................................34
NATO and the maintenance of peace and security:....................................................37
NATO and the maintenance of peace and security - Vervolg:.....................................44
Case studies NATO..................................................................................................... 45
Assignment – evaluation of the NATO.........................................................................47
Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE).........................................48
Some general features and basics..............................................................................48
1
, OSCE and the maintenance of peace and security.....................................................52
The future of the OSCE............................................................................................... 55
Evaluation of the OSCE............................................................................................... 55
making the comparison between the different organisations........................................56
Check your process........................................................................................................... 58
Are the following statements true or false? – Examenvragen........................................58
Essay Questions............................................................................................................. 59
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: HUMAN RIGHTS
PROTECTION..................................................................................................................... 60
United Nations............................................................................................................... 60
Some general features and basics:.............................................................................60
The United Nations and the protection of human rights.............................................61
Enforcement............................................................................................................... 64
Assignment.................................................................................................................... 69
Council of Europe........................................................................................................... 70
Some general features and basics..............................................................................70
Major purpose Council of Europe:..............................................................................72
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (1950) + Protocols (1,4, 6,
7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16):........................................................................................... 72
European Social Charter (1961) + Revised Social Charter (1996).............................72
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (1950) + Protocols (1,4, 6,
7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) – VERVOLG.........................................................................73
European Social Charter (1961) + Revised Social Charter (1996) - Vervolg...............78
Evaluation.................................................................................................................. 79
Private business enterprises and human rights.............................................................81
Traditional view.......................................................................................................... 81
Non-legally binding initiatives to enhance corporate accountability for adverse human
rights impact.............................................................................................................. 81
Growing number of initiatives making corporate human rights responsibility
mandatory.................................................................................................................. 81
EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (2024).......................................82
Check your progress 2...................................................................................................... 83
International cooperation in international organizations: international trade...................84
The world trade organization......................................................................................... 84
Some general features and basics..............................................................................84
Basic rules and principles of the WTO trading system................................................88
WTO dispute settlement............................................................................................. 93
Q&A 28/11/2024............................................................................................................... 97
DEFINITION AND MAJOR ACTORS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
2
,DEFINITION INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- Are relations that take place across national boundaries.
Better term: world politics
CASE STUDY - TWO MAJOR CONFLICTS
Important actors in the conflict:
RUSSIA-UKRAINE
MAJOR ACTORS?
o The EU (mainly the west)
Ukraine wants to be in the EU
They support Ukr by delivering weapons, planes,…
o Finland, Poland,..
o China, Belarus,.. -> they support Russia
o The US
o NATO
o The UN
o Russian multinationals, banks, oil & gas market,..
o Putin, Zelensky, Biden
o Impact of social media
o …
PALESTINE-ISRAËL
MAJOR ACTORS?
o The USA
Supports Israel, they deliver weapons
o The UN -> they try to negociate a ceasefire
o Libanon, Egypt,… -> support Palestina and also got attacked by Israel
o Syria
o Hamas
o Biden
o Prime minister of Israel -> Netanayhu
o Social media
o Weapon industry
o The red cross, amnesty international -> NGO’s
o Private companies and big multinationals, they chose a side and donate
money
o The international criminal court (in den Haag/ the Hague)
Prosecute individuals who committed very serious war crimes,
genocides an crimes against humanity
They issue dan arrest warrant for Putin and are investigating the
situation in Gaza & the West Bank
o …
3
, WHAT IS A STATE?
4 IMPORTANT FACTORS
o A territory (with more or less fixed borders)
o A population (living on that specific territory)
o A government (with laws, rules,..)
o Capacity to enter into relations with other states
BUT WHAT ABOUT?...
o Taiwan
o Kosovo
o Palestine
o …
- -> the problem is the aspect of recognition => are they recognised as a state?
o There is no international government who decides what is a state and what
isn’t
FOR EXAMPLE - TAIWAN:
a small minority of the states around the world have
recognised Taiwan as a state
A lot of states fear China, reaction of China is that they
severe all public relations with states that recognises Taiwan
as a state
But what happened?
o Civil war 1940s -> nationalist government fled to the
island ‘Taiwan’
o communist government keeps on recognising Taiwan
as a part of China and wants to integrate it again ->
difficult situation
FOR EXAMPLE – KOSOVO
Many states fear that if they recognise Kosovo, it’s an
incentitive for other regions to become independent
FOR EXAMPLE – PALESTINE
Few years ago -> there was a territory, a population and a
government
In the UN -> Palestine is recognised as an observer ->> not
a membership in the UN but the start of it (but less rights as
a state entity)
o In the UN it’s accepted as a state!!
Right now even more difficult
RECOGNITION OF STATES - 2 POSITIONS ON THIS MATTER
o Constitutive theory:
Recognition is a requirement, otherwise you won’t be a state
o Declaratory theory :
if you have the factors which define a state, you are a state
4
