ABSTRACT
Since its entry into force in 1970, the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has been the cornerstone of global efforts to address nuclear non-proliferation and achieve the goal of universal nuclear disarmament. The NPT, which serves as a fundamental negotiation forum for addressing the challenges of nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, is reviewed every five years under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In this context, the NPT Review Conference presents a challenging external environment for the EU. As a high-level political and security negotiation, focused on critical interests of national security and energy, the NPT is not a forum in which the EU has explicit legal competence to act on behalf of its member states, nor is the EU itself a member of the Treaty. Within the framework of the NPT, the EU's right to participate in negotiations stems from its member states and their agreement to coordinate and speak as a single bloc on certain issues. The EU member states' inability to “speak with one voice” is considered a significant drawback to achieving its objectives, and some even suggest that the NPT may be an “inappropriate venue” for the EU to attempt coordination and collective action. Emphasising the need for a multilateral approach to security through a commitment to the system of multilateral treaties that “provides the legal and normative basis for all non-proliferation efforts,” the EU has placed special emphasis on maintaining and strengthening an effective global and multilateral non-proliferation regime. In this regard, the NPT and its review conferences offer a critical example for understanding and assessing the efficacy of, and opposition to, the EU's nuclear non-proliferation policy.
