The EU and the Antarctic: strange bedfellows?

Abstract

Over the last decades, the European Union (EU) has become an established actor on the global scene. Its external competences have invariably expanded and the institutional machinery needed for exercising these competences has become more elaborate. Nevertheless, the EU’s engagement in Antarctic governance has remained limited, as the Antarctic region has been low on the Union’s list of political priorities. In this paper, we identify the Union’s main policies towards the Antarctic as well as its capacities, agencies, and processes. After providing some legal background on the EU’s role in global governance, we explain the legal and factual bases for possible involvement in Antarctic governance. Despite being legally able to occupy a more prominent role within the Antarctic Treaty System, political motives have prevented the EU from fulfilling this role. Therefore, in our concluding remarks, we offer some thoughts on possible incentives, which could lead the Union to become more committed towards the Antarctic.