Bureaucratic power at play? The performance of the EU in the International Atomic Energy Agency

Abstract

This article examines the performance of the European Union (EU) in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Following Barnett and Finnemore, the article argues that the EU as an intergovernmental organization (IO) possesses bureaucratic power based on high technical knowledge and rational–legal authority that it can use to gain influence in the Agency. The EU uses its technical knowledge to be a first-mover in political and technical discussions, and uses its financial support to influence the Agency's technical standards and practices for nuclear safeguards, security, and safety. Nevertheless, the analysis shows that its rational–legal authority as an international organization is limited. Being a regional IO, it does not automatically possess the impartiality and hence legitimacy that ordinarily characterize an international organization. Thus, to further improve its performance in the IAEA, the EU must look beyond internal policy issues and focus on its external legitimacy and standing as well.

Keywords:

• EU
• non-proliferation
• IAEA
• bureaucratic power
• legitimacy

Acknowledgements

For helpful comments to improve this article, I am grateful to Knud Erik Jørgensen, Tom Sauer, Benjamin Kienzle and not least the two anonymous reviewers. Furthermore, I want to thank the interviewed diplomats for giving me the time and providing me with a lot of interesting information. I am also very grateful to Thomas Maibom Pedersen for his work as a research assistant, including help to conduct interviews.

Notes

1. According to the IAEA, the following seven IOs have formal cooperation agreements with the Agency, which entitle them to be represented at the sessions of the General Conference: Euratom; the OECD/ Nuclear Energy Agency; the Inter-American Nuclear Energy Commission of the Organization of American States; the Organization of African Unity; the LAS; the Organization for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America; and the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (see http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull373/sharma.html#FOOTNOTE_1).

2. The AAEA is a scientific organization under the LAS, but like Euratom it is a separate legal entity with its own law and regulations. For more information, see http://www.aaea.org.tn/en/goals.htm.

3. A 2008 joint statement between the former IAEA Director-General, Mohammed El-Baradei, and the President of the EU Commission, José Manuel Barroso, was followed in 2013 by a Senior Level meeting focused on enhanced cooperation between the two organizations (IAEA 2013).

4. The core budget of the IAEA does not allocate money to security assistance-related projects. These are instead financed from the Nuclear Security Fund, which consists only of voluntary contributions from IAEA member states and other donors (Anthony 2005, p. 6).