The European Union and the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia

A Case of Effective Multilateralism?

Abstract

The call for solutions to global problems through effective multilateralism has been one of the main messages of the European Union during the past decade. This paper explores EU participation in the Contact Group on Piracy of the Coast of Somalia as an example of a multilateral initiative. First, the paper offers an outline of effective multilateralism and the activities of the Contact Group. It then examines developments related to three markers of effective multilateralism: scope of involvement, the role undertaken by the UN as a consequence of the group’s activities and the extent to which the Contact Group facilitated the spread of international rules and norms related to piracy. The analysis showed that the EU is inclined to engage in international attempts at multilateralism but hints that in the future a change in the EU perception of multilateralism is likely.