Katrien Meuwissen

• PhD Student at KU Leuven and Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies

One of the most important challenges for human rights lies in the paradoxical position of the state which is responsible for the implementation of human rights obligations and, at the same time, is often the violator of these rights. As independent state institutions exclusively concerned with the promotion and protection of human rights, National...

Recent literature has pointed to the importance of localizing fundamental rights in order to further strengthen their effective protection. In this context attention has been paid mainly to civil society organizations, but not as much to local and regional authorities. What role can local and regional authorities play in enforcing fundamental right...

Since the early 1990s, the European Union has been working to establish a common framework ensuring consular protection for Union citizens in third countries. In the meantime, the practical need for consular assistance of unrepresented Union citizens in third countries has only increased, resulting in the progressive elaboration of the Union's lega...

Over the past twenty years, the potential of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to transmit and implement international norms at the domestic level, and to transfer human rights expertise to regional and global human rights forums, is increasingly recognised. At a time when the European Union is looking for a more coherent and strategic hum...

Since the early 1990s, the European Union has been working to establish a common framework ensuring consular protection for Union citizens in third countries. In the meantime, the practical need for consular assistance of unrepresented Union citizens in third countries has only increased, resulting in the progressive elaboration of the Union’s lega...

While the European Union (EU) has a strong ambition to be a leading actor in the multilateral human rights system, booking success in UN Human Rights Council (HRC or Council) has proved difficult. This article analyses the functioning of the HRC since its inception in 2006, and the evolution of the EU’s participation in this UN body. Although the H...

Two years since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty the implementation of the constitutional and institutional changes it introduced is ongoing. This paper examines the potential and actual implications of these novelties for the capacity of the European Union (EU) to act as an effective multilateral security actor, placing special emphasis o...

The international financial crisis which broke out in 2008 has had a major impact on fiscal sustainability of countries all over the world. Countries have responded to the global recession with varying measures. However, various initiatives regarding fiscal policy have been taken at the global level as well, and several policies with implications f...