Cyberspace is an integral part of modern societies and has transformed global social and economic relations in the 21st century. From an arcane and technical domain on the margins of international... Show moreCyberspace is an integral part of modern societies and has transformed global social and economic relations in the 21st century. From an arcane and technical domain on the margins of international policy debates, cyberspace has entered the realm of high politics and is an important feature of contemporary debates on global governance. The contributions presented in this special section seek to foster a better understanding of how to govern cyberspace – a domain that is complex, ubiquitous and an increasingly indispensable part of life in the 21st century. Despite the fact that cyberspace is primarily owned and operated by the private sector, the authors agree that states continue to exert a powerful influence over how cyberspace is used and governed. The contributions reveal that although cyberspace is a relatively new area of global governance, existing legal and political frameworks and traditional means and methods of conducting interstate relations remain relevant. A comprehensive, international treaty to govern cyberspace is unlikely to emerge in the near future. Therefore, a wide-ranging set of tailored efforts is required to ensure that cyberspace remains free, open and secure. Confidence and trust must be built between states and other relevant stakeholders through practical cooperation on specific issues, sharing information and best practices and exercising restraint in cyber activities. Bilateral cooperation and like-minded coalitions are essential for developing and disseminating norms or principles of responsible behaviour in cyberspace, which may set the stage for legally binding commitments in the future. Ultimately, the international architecture for governing cyberspace is likely to resemble the medium itself – an intricate web of actors, institutions and instruments securing a resource that is far greater than the sum of its parts. Show less
This edited Working Paper addresses three fundamental questions concerning EU External Action after the Lisbon Treaty: the institutional position and allegiance of the newly-established European... Show moreThis edited Working Paper addresses three fundamental questions concerning EU External Action after the Lisbon Treaty: the institutional position and allegiance of the newly-established European External Action Service, the future of the ‘left out’ Directorate-General for Trade and the Common Commercial Policy, and the protection of EU citizens abroad. These enquires are prompted by both an institutional innovation – the launch of the EEAS – as well as by a number of substantive changes to the legal framework of EU External Action. An ambitious agenda has been inserted into the primary law, around which the Union institutions and Member States are to rally. It is in turn the raison d’être of the EEAS to foster the ensuing need for consistency, as well as to provide impetus to the EU’s external action. Structurally, it is in itself a sui generis institution composed of officials from the Commission, the Council and the Member States. This raises a number of fundamental questions that go well beyond those concerning which person is going to be the new EU ambassador in Washington or Beijing. Above all, can these substantive and institutional innovations live up to the grand ambitions of the peculiar entity that is the EU? What old problems does it purport to solve, and what are the new problems it is likely to create? Essentially, to which extent does bundling the external objectives in the Treaties as well as pooling together the institutional resources in Brussels and the delegations actually render the EU an ‘ever-closer’ actor in the world? Show less
