[New publication] The EU and questions of ‘territory’ under public international law
Published 16 April 2025
Image by Hadrian
Territory is a cardinal concept of international law and it is intrinsically linked to core tenets thereof, including sovereignty, Statehood and jurisdiction. However, despite its centrality, the concept of ‘territory’ is not often discussed in international legal literature, and it remains a blind spot of international law, writes researcher Eva Kassoti in her new paper “The EU and Questions of Territory under Public International Law.“
The changing international legal landscape and the emergence of new actors, such as international organisations and other non-territorial entities such as the European Union, have rekindled interest in questions pertaining to the continuing relevance of territory in modern international law. The rise of Regional International Organisations (RIOs) as powerful actors is a case in point.
Lying in the intermediate stage between States and international organisations, RIOs defy the traditional territory/function binary that underlines the fundamental distinction between statist and international governance models. These developments highlight with a renewed sense of urgency the need for international lawyers to problematise territory and the legal geographies of international law more broadly.
At the same time, the European Union’s ever-expanding activities as a global actor have led to a significant increase in the number of cases in which EU courts are directly or indirectly faced with disputes involving a territorial dimension. Thus, its case-law warrants closer scrutiny.
Eva Kassoti’s chapter also argues that how the European Union deploys ‘territory’ as a governance tool and how its normative rule affects and is, in turn, affected by notions of territory and legal space have something of value to say about the nature and identity of the EU as an international legal actor. In this light, the present paper also contributes to a better understanding of certain aspects of the EU’s spatial identity.
The EU and Questions of ‘Territory’ under Public International Law
Forthcoming in Lucia Leontiev, A. Simonyan (eds.), Territory and Territoriality in Eurasia: Law and Geopolitics, Edward Elgar Publishing (2026)
About Eva Kassoti
Dr Eva Kassoti is a Senior Researcher in International and EU Law as well as the academic co-ordinator for the Centre of the Law of EU External Relations (CLEER) at the T.M.C. Asser Institute. Eva read law at the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece, and was subsequently admitted to the Greek bar. She completed the LL.M. in Public International Law at the University of Nottingham and obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Bristol. Read more.
[CLEER Summer school] EU External Action Law
Dive into EU external relations at CLEER’s 10th annual summer school in Brussels this summer. Join renowned experts and practitioners for interactive lectures and discussions at VUB, June 23-25, 2025. Explore key topics, from digital governance to EU enlargement, and gain insights from a visit to the EEAS, the EU’s diplomatic service. Apply now for an immersive experience in EU law and policy, and network with future leaders. Scholarships available. Register today! Read more.
