The European Union in the G20: what role for small states?

Abstract

The G20 has emerged as the premier forum for international economic policy coordination. For small EU states, the EU's participation in the G20 represents a particular challenge as they may be faced with decisions in which they had no say. This article looks at the possibilities for small state involvement in the G20 process and analyses the extent to which they can influence the EU's participation in the G20. The article suggests two sets of variables to explain the possibilities for influence of small states in the EU's external relations. Looking into four financial and economic policy dossiers, the article explores the conditions of success of small states' strategies. The article does not contradict that the big member states dominate the EU presence in the G20, but it does argue that small states may successfully use the EU as a foreign policy platform to pursue national objectives. Their influence varies strongly and is bound to a number of conditions.

Notes

 1 Spain participates in the G20 as a ‘permanent guest’.

 2 Fourteen officials were interviewed from the IMF, the European Commission and from the Austrian, Belgian, Luxembourgish, Dutch and Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Permanent Representations (PermRep) to the EU and/or Representations to the IMF. As various officials were only willing to share their views on the condition of absolute anonimity, interviews are indicated by a general reference only. The interviewees are all closely involved in the policy processes under examination.

 3 Nonpublished policy paper of a G4 country, 20 April 2010.

 4 Interview by email with Belgian MOF official, 16 February 2011.

 5 An all-elected EB would end the privilege for the five largest contributors to the Fund (US, Japan, Germany, the UK and France) to appoint their own ED.

 6 Nonpublished policy paper of a G4 country, 20 April 2010.

 7 Interview with Belgian MOF official, Brussels, 12 January 2011. Interview with Dutch MFA official, The Hague, 3 May 2010.

 8 Interview by email with Belgian MOF official, 16 February 2011.

 9 Interview with two Swedish MOF officials, Stockholm, 7 May 2010 and with Belgian MOF official, Brussels, 2 April 2010.

10 Interview with Belgian MOF official, Brussels, 12 January 2011.

11 Interview with two Alternate Executive Directors at the IMF, Washington, 10 March 2011.

12 Mixed constituencies consist of members with a different profile, for example creditor and debtor, EU and non-EU, and/or developed and developing members.

13 Interview with Belgian MOF official, Brussels, 2 April 2010.

14 Interview with Swedish PermRep official, Brussels, 22 April 2010.

15 Interview with Swedish PermRep official, Brussels, 22 April 2010.

16 Interview with Austrian National Bank official, Vienna, 30 December 2010 and Luxembourg MOF official (PermRep), Brussels, 23 April 2010.

17 Countries listed as ‘grey‘ on the OECD's list represent jurisdictions that have committed to the internationally agreed tax standard, but have not yet substantially implemented the agreement.

18 Interview with Luxembourg MOF official (PermRep), Brussels, 23 April 2010.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Skander Nasra

Skander Nasra, currently works for the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors.

Peter Debaere

Peter Debaere, works in the Department of Political Science at Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium