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Publishers Abstract:
Much of the European Union's foreign policy credo focuses on the promotion of effective multilateralism. The Council of the European Union (EU) put this notion at the heart of the European Security Strategy, and the European Commission (EC) referred to the EU as a 'frontrunner' in the UN system in its communication on EU-UN relations. In 1991, the first UN specialised agency, the Food and Agricultural Organisation, adopted the necessary constitutional modifications to allow membership of the European Community. However, since then no major UN specialised agency has welcomed the EC as a member. This article will first review important factual developments as regards the EU's legal status in multilateral fora, focusing roughly on the last ten years. In a nutshell, the European Union is neither an outsider anymore nor has it become a frontrunner in the multilateral arena. Rather it turns into a respected actor in international organisations and treaty bodies with the same speed as the law develops.
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