ABSTRACT
In an increasingly interdependent world, multilateralism becomes ever more important across a plethora of policy sectors traditionally deemed to fall within the purview of the nation-state. Issues such as trade through the World Trade Organization (WTO), security via the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), or defence via the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), have been joined by others such as climate change (Kyoto) or, less formally, internal security, through bodies such as the Club of Berne. The EU made ‘effective multilateralism’ the priority in its Security Strategy of 2003. Yet, however necessary multilateralism has become, the question remains: is there consensus within the EU on the foundations, rules and principles that should guide policy and the construction of multilateral solutions? Put simply, is there a European doctrine of multilateralism?
