Pace, sicurezza internazionale e prevenzione dei conflitti. Il contributo “multiforme” della Corte di giustizia

Article 3(5) and Article 21(2) TEU, in outlining the European Union’s approach on the international stage, set out a number of values, principles and objectives that the Union is called upon to pursue. However, the normative scope of these provisions is unclear. It is therefore not surprising that this ambiguity is also reflected in the concepts contained therein, including that of ‘maintaining peace, strengthening international security and preventing conflicts’. In light of this, the difficulty of defining the legal meaning of this concept and assessing its effects on the Union’s competences is clear. The fragmentation of the EU’s external action between the CFSP and other policies with an international dimension further exacerbates this uncertainty. Against this background, this paper aims to explore, through the case law of the Court of Justice, the normative dimension of the concept of ‘‘maintaining peace, strengthening international security and preventing conflicts”, with a view to assessing its implications for the various external policies of the Union.