Published on 05-11-2025, Last modified on 05-11-2025
Open Lecture “Human Rights in EU External Action”
The protection and promotion of human rights is one of the EU’s external action objectives (Art. 21 TEU). In practice, however, there is a certain tension between the EU’s normative commitments and its (geo)political and economic interests. This lecture explores the EU’s toolbox to influence third countries, and the limits of its leverage in a rapidly changing international order.
Particular attention will be given to the dilemmas arising when economic or security concerns collide with human rights principles. By unpacking these dynamics, the lecture invites reflection on whether the EU can sustain its identity as a credible promoter of human rights beyond its borders.
7:00 PM: Welcome
7:10 PM: Start of the lecture
7:50 PM: Start of moderated debate
8:10 PM: Q&A
8:30 PM: End of lecture & reception by EUROPA DIRECT East Flanders
PANEL
Dhr. Lorant Havas, European External Action Service (EEAS) – a Deputy Head of Division in the Legal Department of the European External Action Service (EEAS). He is a guest lecturer at the University of Debrecen (Hungary) and the University of Maastricht (Netherlands). He has extensive experience in negotiating international agreements on behalf of the European Union, representing before the European Courts (Court of Justice, General Court, EFTA Court), as well as the status of the European Union in international organisations.
Marta Martinelli, Ph.D., Nonresident Scholar bij Carnegie Europe – a nonresident scholar at Carnegie Europe, where she researches the EU’s role in addressing forgotten conflicts and how EU initiatives are perceived in non-European countries. Her fields of expertise include human rights, democracy, peacebuilding, and gender.
Prof. Peter Van Elsuwege, UGent – moderator – a professor of EU law and Jean Monnet Chair at Ghent University, where he is co-director of the Ghent European Law Institute (GELI). He is also visiting professor at the College of Europe (Natolin Campus) and board member of the Centre for the Law of EU External Relations (CLEER) at the Asser Institute in The Hague. His research activities essentially focus on the law of EU external relations and EU citizenship. Specific attention is devoted to the legal framework of the relations between the European Union and its East European neighbours.
This event is co-organized and hosted by the Province of East Flanders as part of the European Lecture Series.
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