- International Politics

Edinburgh wins EU grant to study the European Union as an international actor

The MERCURY project, headed up by Edinburgh's Politics and International Relations Department and involving eight other universities in Europe, Africa and Asia, will study the EU's contribution to multilateralism. The EU has done much to promote the practice of multilateralism, but key questions remain unanswered. Can multilateralism be defined in a way that transcends divisions within as well as beyond Europe, between states, nations and cultures, strong and weak, rich and poor? Is it possible for the EU or its member states to pursue a benign and credible doctrine of multilateralism, as opposed to one that serves its own interests? How will the Lisbon Treaty affect the Union's ability to shape multilateralism? Is the EU's shift towards inter-regionalism and strategic partnerships compatible with its aim to promote 'effective multilateralism', an avowed goal of the 2003 European Security Strategy?

MERCURY's remit extends to the interactions of the EU and its member states with regions outside Europe, strategic partners, and global organisations. It is interdisciplinary, drawing on expertise in law, politics, economics, and international relations.  Its agenda includes exploring, explaining and evaluating different conceptions of multilateralism - while also aiming to achieve practical policy relevance.

The full team includes the University of Edinburgh; the University of Cologne; Cambridge University; the Institute of International Affairs (Rome); Sciences Po, Paris; SIPRI (Stockholm); Charles University (Prague); the University of Pretoria; and Fudan University (Shanghai).