The Commonwealth and the European Union in the 21st century. Challenges and opportunities in international relations

Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union? Is the Commonwealth of Nations still relevant for its very diverse member states, ranging from small island states to Australia and India? In contemporary British politics, both organisations have come under fierce criticism, sometimes leading to hasty assessments of historical experiences and current policies.

Given the fact that the United Kingdom, Cyprus and Malta are members of both organisations, and that ‘Brexit’ would have far-ranging consequences much beyond British shores, relations between the EU and the Commonwealth have featured surprisingly rarely in major debates of international policy.

This edited volume suggests possible – and even desirable – connections between the two organisations by investing current contacts, fault lines, external critique and outside perspectives. Focusing on soft power, development, humanitarianism and modes of intervention, the authors investigate disputes over international norms and trade patterns. Through global approaches and specific case studies drawn from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, they demonstrate where opportunities for international cooperation were missed and how useful partnerships might be found.

This book was originally published as a special issue of The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs.

Contents

1. Introduction: The Commonwealth and the European Union: Norms, partnerships, circulations - Mélanie Torrent and Virginie Roiron
2. Commune Consensu: A soft power comparison of the Commonwealth and the European Union - Amelia Hadfield
3. The Commonwealth of Nations and the EU after the 'global' crisis: Rethinking post-2015 'global' development? - Timothy M. Shaw
4. The Commonwealth Caribbean and Europe: The end of the affair? - Peter Clegg
5. International organisations and the evolution of humanitarianism: Cross-perspectives on the Commonwealth and the European Union - Lola Wilhelm
6. The international humanitarian regime and its discontents: India's challenge - Anne Hammerstad
7. The European Union in Sudan: A missed opportunity? - Gordon D. Cumming

Comments and opinion pieces

8.The Commonwealth and Europe - Steve Cutts
9. CHOGM returns to Malta: EU and Commonwealth membership in the Mediterranean - Godfrey Baldacchino
10. Back to the future: The EU and the Commonwealth - Carl Wright
11. Singapore and Europe: From strength to strength - Claire Sanderson
12. Understanding student mobility: An agenda for EU/Commonwealth discussion - John Kirkland
13. Why and how should the Commonwealth of Nations engage in the access and benefit-sharing issue - Amandine Orsini

The EU and the Commonwealth are undoubtedly very different organisations but distinctions can provide grounds for meaningful, relevant cooperation. More strategic dialogue between the Commonwealth and the EU, this volume argues, would be a valuable asset for the two international organisations, their member states and their citizens.