[Call for papers] Early career workshop on EU external relations law: reviving multilateralism – what role for the EU?

The T.M.C. Asser Instituut, the Centre for the Law of EU External Relations (CLEER), Utrecht University and the University of Groningen are pleased to announce the Early career workshop on ‘EU external relations law: reviving multilateralism – what role for the EU?’. The workshop will take place on 4-5 December 2025 at the Asser Institute in The Hague. PhD candidates and early career researchers are invited to submit 250-word abstracts on the legal dimensions of the European Union’s role in rebuilding multilateralism. The deadline for abstracts is 15 June 2025. 

The multilateral rules-based system, once anchored in strong multilateral institutions, is faltering. From the United States-China trade war to the weakening of NATO commitments and the erosion of the World Trade Organisation’s dispute settlement system, in recent years, the world has borne witness to a move towards fragmentation and unilateralism. In response, the European Union (EU) has championed a vision of ‘strategic autonomy’, while still claiming to promote multilateral cooperation as the cornerstone of its external action. 

What role for the EU? 
The workshop ‘EU external relations law: reviving multilateralism – what role for the EU? will provide a dynamic space for early career scholars to present and discuss their research with leading academics and practitioners in the field of EU external relations law. Over two days, selected participants will engage across several thematic panels, focusing on the future of EU trade, security cooperation, institutional reform and global governance. 

Abstract submissions should explore the legal aspects of the EU’s role in reviving multilateralism. Possible topics include the future of EU external action in light of the Union’s pursuit of strategic autonomy; the EU’s increasing use of unilateral instruments and how these measures align with its multilateral commitments; and the prospects for rebuilding the multilateral trading system without United States leadership. Contributions may also address the role of the European Parliament and the Court of Justice in shaping EU external relations, the importance of democracy, rule of law and accountability in the EU’s foreign policy, or how bilateral and plurilateral initiatives could serve as building blocks for a renewed global governance framework. 

Read the full call. 

About the early career workshop series 
The early career workshop series offers PhD candidates and early career scholars a platform to share their research in international and European law. By connecting young researchers with established experts, the series aims to strengthen academic networks within Europe and beyond, inspire fresh thinking and support the next generation of legal scholars. 

Please send your abstract and a short CV to e.kassoti@asser.nl before  15 June 2025.   

Read more 

[CLEER Paper Series] The legal implications of the EU's geopolitical awakening 
Against the backdrop of a growing trade war with the United States, a timely new paper series examines the European Union's move towards 'strategic autonomy'. Edited by Asser Institute researchers Narin Idriz, Eva Kassoti, and Joris Larik (Leiden University), the volume explores the legal implications of its shift from 'soft power' to 'hard power' in a rapidly changing global landscape. Read more. 

[New publication] Addressing the legal questions surrounding the EU’s strategic autonomy 
Asser Institute researcher Eva Kassoti and Ramses A. Wessel have brought together a comprehensive legal analysis of the notion of strategic autonomy as editors for a new special issue for the European Foreign Affairs Review. The special issue focuses on general considerations as well as specific policy areas like EU defence-industrial spending, sanctions, and data autonomy. Read more. 

Dr Eva Kassoti