The European Union and Other Regional International Organizations: Tales of Solidarity

Regional International Organizations (rio s) are an important part of the modern international legal landscape. Yet, thus far, they have largely remained at the margins of scholarly attention. This contribution argues that, inter alia, the rio s’ lens provides valuable insights since rio s’ law casts in legal terms regional narratives of emancipation and solidarity that are central to bringing into existence and sustaining the legitimacy of new regional (legal) orders. The article then proceeds to trace the development of the principle of solidarity in international law and in the legal orders of two rio s, namely the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) with a view to providing concrete examples of the potential and limits of rio s to act as vehicles for realising regional narratives of solidarity. The article concludes by emphasising the importance of taking regional (legal) space seriously by highlighting the potential of rio s’ law to increase accountability and pluralise the geographies of international law.