Conditionality and Compliance: The Efficacy of European Union Human Rights Provisions as Mechanisms of Influence in The Indo-Pacific

Abstract

This paper analyses the efficacy of European Union human rights clauses as mechanisms of influence in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the interplay between conditionality and compliance. Human rights clauses are now a common part of EU agreements with other countries. This shows that the EU is committed to spreading universal ideals beyond its own borders. Nonetheless, their genuine influence on the conduct of partner states remains debated, especially in geopolitically complex regions like the Indo-Pacific. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Normative Power Europe and compliance-oriented methodologies in international law, this research assesses whether EU human rights conditionality engenders substantive behavioral change or remains predominantly symbolic. The paper examines the legislative framework of EU human rights provisions, the geopolitical and economic factors influencing EU involvement in the Indo-Pacific, and the actual use of conditionality in both bilateral and regional settings. It also examines compliance outcomes by analyzing how communication, incentives, fines, and selective enforcement interact. The results show that EU human rights clauses help set the agenda and spread norms, but they aren't as effective because of geopolitical competition, unequal dependency, and the EU's unwillingness to risk important ties. The article suggests that EU human rights conditionality primarily serves as a mechanism for normative signaling rather than coercive influence, necessitating recalibration to enhance credibility and efficacy in the Indo-Pacific.