Abstract

The EU has been very active in the many ICBs that specialise in agricultural commodities. This is explained by its interest in pursuing the objectives of its common agricultural policy as well as those of its trade policy. In this exercise it has been fortunate not to confront any legal impediments from the statutes of the ICBs, nor from the rest of their membership, to its ambition to be a full member. This ambition of the Union is justified by its conferred powers to act on the international plane in the areas covered by the work of ICBs. However, contrary to the situation in all other ICBs examined here, where the Union is a member, this is not the case in the OIV. This is the result of past practices and political preferences of EU Member States, as well as at times technical considerations pertaining to the content of the work in the OIV. Thus, the EU is prevented from exercising its powers independently in that international institution where, as regards its participation and representation, pre-Lisbon arrangements have survived.