Hamburg-Vigoni Talks – #2 Common foreign policy as a substrate of European sovereigntywith Prof. em. Dr Gabriele Clemens and Prof. Dr Jörg Philipp Terhechte

20 October 2020

In the second Hamburg-Vigoni Talk, Prof. em. Dr. Gabriele Clemens and Prof. Dr. Jörg Philipp Terhechte discussed the interactions between a common foreign policy and European sovereignty. Gabriele Clemens is a retired professor of Western European history at the University of Hamburg and holds a Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration History and European Studies. Jörg Philipp Terhechte is a professor of Public Law, European, and International Law at Leuphana University Lüneburg.

Addressing the ongoing discussion about the limited foreign policy effectiveness of the European Union due to the unanimity principle, Prof. em. Dr. Gabriele Clemens and Prof. Dr. Jörg Philipp Terhechte explored potential alternative models and discussed existing hurdles. The tension between the national sovereignty of member states and the goal of strengthening European sovereignty through an effective common foreign policy is particularly relevant in this context.

The "Hamburg-Vigoni Talks" is a discussion format within the Hamburg-Vigoni Forum. The series aims to relate the thematic focuses of the forum - space, sovereignty, and identity - to current political topics and further promote the desired connection between politics and research. The intention is not a theoretical discussion of complex topoi but rather an accessible discussion of their actual significance in political practice.

The conversations primarily take place among the scientists from the organizing institutions of the forum and are conducted in an interdisciplinary manner. To avoid a mono perspective view, the circle of speakers is not limited to the academic field but occasionally includes individuals with practical political backgrounds.