Setting a new framework for co-operation between the Commonwealth and the European Union

Abstract

This paper proposes a new approach to understanding the relations between the European Union (EU) and the Commonwealth. There has been a long-standing lack of mutual insight between the Commonwealth and the EU, chiefly due to a general lack of knowledge of the modern-day Commonwealth and its role on the international stage. The relations between both organisations are currently limited, despite the fact that there are areas of common interest, where cooperation would not only be feasible, but also beneficial. An agreement, such as that proposed in this paper could contribute significantly in the fight to eradicate poverty and uphold human rights.

Keywords:

• Commonwealth
• European Union
• areas of common activity
• cooperation
• agreement
• human rights
• immigration and refugees

Acknowledgements

My particular thanks to Philip Murphy, James Chiriyankandath and the journal reviewers for their assistance, and Javier Junceda for his support. I also wish to thank the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Article 47, Treaty on the European Union (TEU) ‘The Union shall have legal personality’.

2. That is, a graduated imposition of the common external tariff between the date of British entry and 1 January 1970.

3. The Valletta summit on migration held in Malta on 11 and 12 November 2015, brought together European Union and African Heads of State and Government in an effort to not only strengthen cooperation and address current challenges but also the opportunities of migration.