International Organizations: UN, EU, and Global Security Structures

International Organizations and Global Governance Structures

UN Charter Chapter VIII: Regional Arrangements

Chapter VIII of the UN Charter addresses regional arrangements, authorizing regional organizations such as the EU or the Arab League. It states that disputes should first be settled through these regional bodies. However, the use of force can only be authorized by the Security Council.

Characteristics of NGOs vs. IGOs

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) differ significantly in structure and function:

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

• They are private, voluntary organizations.
• Members are individuals or associations.
• They advocate for a particular issue or provide a service.
• They are subject to the domestic law of their country.

Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)

• Formed by at least three member states.
• Activities span several states.
• Created through a formal intergovernmental agreement (treaty).
• Most actions are typically recommendations.
• They are subjected to International Law.

Why the ICJ is Considered an "Old-Style" Court

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is often depicted as an “old-style” court because its jurisdiction is limited: only states can bring contentious cases. This limitation prevents the ICJ from dealing with contemporary disputes involving states and non-state actors (e.g., NGOs, terrorist groups, etc.).

Key Drivers of Regionalism

Regionalism is driven by a complex set of factors, including:

• Geographical proximity and mutual interdependence.
• Power dynamics and shared identity or ideology (e.g., Pan-Africanism).
• Religion.
• Internal factors (disputes, grievances related to the past).
• External threats (e.g., preventing the extension of power by others, as seen with NATO and the Warsaw Pact).
• Domestic politics and strong leadership (e.g., Gaddafi with the African Union; Egypt and the Arab League).

Soviet-Led Organizations Dissolved in 1991

Two major Soviet-led organizations were disbanded in 1991:

1. The Warsaw Pact (military alliance).
2. The COMECON (The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, economic bloc).

Decision Making in the EU Council of Ministers

The European Union's Council of Ministers employs different decision-making procedures:

Ordinary Legislative Procedure (OLP)

This is the EU's standard decision-making process. It requires the directly elected European Parliament to approve EU legislation together with the Council (representing the governments of the EU countries).

Unanimous Voting

The Council of Ministers votes unanimously when dealing with sensitive areas, including:

• Foreign, security, and defense policy.
• Changes to treaties.
• Enlargement.
• Taxation.