Making the Most of the EU’s External Competences in the Social Affairs’ Area: The EU and the International Labour Organisation

Abstract:

This article argues that from a Union law perspective, and for greater legal certainty of third parties, it is important for the EU to be able to exercise its powers towards relevant international organisations in those areas where the EU has gained competences. There are cases where the EU has gained appropriate status corresponding to its competences, but this is not the case with the ILO where the EU still encounters difficulties in practice due to its insufficient status. The main focus of the article is on how the EU exercises its competences in the framework of the International Labour Organisation. Since the two organisations have overlapping spheres of activity, conflicts of norms between the EU and the ILO can occur in a number of fields. The article gives an overview of the complex and complicated procedure of coordination and its development.

• Primary Source