Successful negotiation workshop at the 25th European Diplomatic Programme

How do you respond when EU negotiations are on the brink of deadlock? Is it possible to steer an EU negotiation towards a win-win solution? And what are specific characteristics of working party negotiations in the Council of the European Union?

These questions were tackled head-on during the annual Clingendael training on EU negotiations at the 25th European Diplomatic Programme (EDP). The programme saw 32 participants from all 27 EU member states, the European Commission, the Council Secretariat, and the European External Action Service meet.

Over the course of three intensive days, participants delved into essential topics such as negotiation strategies, managing constituencies, bargaining theory, negotiation tactics, and negotiation behaviour. The training culminated in a full day of multilateral negotiations, where participants engaged in spirited simulated discussions over fictional draft conclusions of the EU’s Political Security Committee.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all participants for their active involvement and the vibrant spirit and passion that they brought to the negotiation simulations. Our heartfelt thanks go to the European External Action Service for their exceptional organisation of the EDP as well as the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their continued support to the EDP.