THE USE OF SHARED COMPETENCES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION’S EXTERNAL RELATIONS THROUGH MIXED AGREEMENTS

Abstract

Throughout its treaty making powers, the EU tends to emphasize its international personality
and identity. However, when it comes to the international relations, the Member States still
have legitimate interests. Therefore, when the shared competences are applied through the
mixed agreements, there are implications on both the Union legal order and to the
international responsibility of the Union and the Member States. The mixed agreements
dominate within the EU treaty practice. They reflect the legal and political reality, since the
EU is not a single actor on the international scene. In terms of division of competence
between Union and Member States, the mixed agreements raise many questions which will
be briefly assessed in the paper.