Research on international history agrees that international relations entered a new phase during the 1970s. World politics underwent fundamental transformations on at least three realms. First, the rapprochement between the US and China, the deterioration of the relations between the SU and China and détente between Washington and Moscow altered security and peace policy. Second, with the oil shock of 1973 the post-war economic world order broke down and changed the character of trade and other economic affairs. Third, social welfare and human rights as new policy fields arose on an international level against the background of a growth of civil society in the nation states. Low politics became of greater importance for political decision making: human rights within the CSCE process, development assistance or environmental protection. 

Whereas the fact of international transformation is undisputed, the nature of this transformation is not completely understood. Whereas in the post-war period since 1945 the nation states established structures of international cooperation, the process of what we call globalization had just started in the 1970s. At the same time, for Western Europe the 1970s marked a decisive turning point in the process of integration. Since 1957 the European construction was restricted to economic affairs and the external dimension of the integration process was economic. The Hague Summit of 1969 marked the starting point of the EC's search of its adequate role as a global actor. Economic strength and meaning were held as reason for resuming more responsibility in world politics. With the economic crises of the 70s and the challenge of détente the EC emerged as an actor on the security and international stage - a process that went parallel with the emancipation from the US leadership in world politics. Whereas the external personality of the Common Market in the Western world was uncontested, EPC was for the moment a new European experience. EPC was a successful actor in security and human rights questions (CSCE). On the economic realm new foreign trade relations were established between EC and the Eastern States (COMECON), with China and Japan. Furthermore, cooperation with the Mediterranean states and the less developed countries appeared on the European agenda. By that, Europe was to help to integrate different parts of the world. 

Since we do not know much about the interaction between globalization and the institutional integration of Europe, the conference aims at defining the role of the EC in the network of multilateral politics in the 70s and early 80s more precisely and - vice versa - the influence of globalized world actors and institutions on the European construction. 

Prof. Wilfried Loth

University Duisburg-Essen
LISBOAN work package leader:
"the Lisbon Treaty in a courte, moyenne and longue durée"

PD Dr.  Claudia Hiepel

University Duisburg-Essen