The European Union’s Role in Promotion and Development of International Humanitarian Law

Nowadays, it will not be possible to guarantee the implementation of international humanitarian law solely by establishing regulations at international levels. The cooperation of the international community is also essential for effective implementation. The European Union, as a regional organization with the authority to formulate executive policies for the member states, plays a role in this endeavor. The present research, utilizing an analytical and descriptive approach, examines the legal documents and practical procedures of the Union to assess its success in promoting this branch of international law in the face of regional and extra-regional crises through the enactment of new laws and the adoption of practical procedures. The authors of this research believe that although this regional organization has been successful in rulemaking and localizing international regulations, it faces challenges in operationalizing these rules. Finally, the findings of this research indicate that the application of the 2009 European Council resolution, titled the 'EU Guidelines on Promoting Compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL),' has resulted in the creation of valuable legal documents. However, political considerations have hindered the successful implementation of these regulations in various crises.