NORM EU: A New Jean Monnet Chair on the European Union at Université Côte d’Azur

This chair is funded for a three-year period as part of the European Union’s Erasmus+ program. It reinforces Université Côte d’Azur’s position in teaching and research focused on European and international issues and is part of the university’s strategic plan, which has placed Europe at the heart of its development—notably through participation in the Ulysseus European University, support for multidisciplinary research and innovation, promotion of endowed chair programs, programs of excellence, and the development of short, flexible, and personalized training courses.

The NORM EU Chair is led by Professor Anne Millet-Devalle, a professor of international law at Université Côte d’Azur, a member of the Institute for Peace and Development (IdPD), and honorary director of the Laboratory of International and European Law (LADIE – UPR 7414). Her research focuses in particular on international humanitarian law, disarmament and non-proliferation law, and the European Union’s external action. This new Jean Monnet Chair builds on her commitment to European studies: Professor Anne Millet-Devalle previously led, from 2019 to 2023, an initial Jean Monnet Chair dedicated to “The European Union and Crisis Management.”

Understanding and Analyzing the European Union’s Normative Power

The NORM EU Chair aims to study how the European Union develops, implements, disseminates, and defends its norms on the international stage, whether they are legal, economic, diplomatic, or security-related.
Through this approach, the Chair seeks to contribute to the understanding of an essential dimension of the Union’s external action: its capacity to exert international influence not only through its economic and trade resources, but also through law, regulation, partnerships, diplomacy, and the promotion of shared values.
This analysis takes on particular significance in an international context marked by profound shifts in the balance of power. Recent developments in the European Union’s external action reflect its commitment to strengthening its international partnerships and consolidating its role in defining and defending common standards, while continuing, within the Union, to strengthen the rule of law and conditionality mechanisms.
The NORM EU Chair thus offers a legal, political, and interdisciplinary analysis of the instruments and limits of European normative power, combining an analysis of EU policies with an examination of how they are received by states, international organizations, and civil society actors.

A New Chair at the Heart of the Institute for Peace and Development’s Mission

The NORM EU Chair is fully aligned with the academic mission of the Institute for Peace and Development, which already hosts a UNESCO Chair in “Peace and Development through Law.” The complementary nature of the approaches taken by these two chairs—both awarded to Université Côte d’Azur by global and regional organizations—will foster synergies through a shared exploration of the role of law, norms, and institutions in building an international space for peace, cooperation, and development, while examining the European Union’s specific contribution to this process.

An International Scientific and Educational Program

Led by an international team of faculty members and researchers, the Chair will develop a diverse program of academic and educational activities over the next three years. In particular, it will offer:

• new specialized courses, particularly as part of university certificate programs;
• a regular series of conferences devoted to the major challenges of the European Union’s external action and normative power;
• symposia and study days bringing together researchers, practitioners, and international experts;
• a Summer School focused on contemporary issues facing the European Union;
• initiatives to disseminate knowledge and raise awareness of European issues among various audiences.

Particular attention is given to the Chair’s outreach to civil society, notably through visits to schools, meetings with students, and current affairs lectures open to a broad audience.
Through this new Jean Monnet Chair, Université Côte d’Azur reaffirms its commitment to teaching, research, and the dissemination of knowledge about the European Union, and strengthens its academic influence in the study of relations between the European Union and the world. 

Follow the Chair’s activities

A page dedicated to the NORM EU Jean Monnet Chair is now available on the Institute for Peace and Development (IdPD) website. It provides access to the Chair’s full program: conferences, symposia, courses, summer school sessions, and other academic activities.
You can also follow the Chair’s LinkedIn page and watch the lectures on the IdPD’s YouTube channel .

Stay connected to follow the latest news from the NORMEU Chair and discover its program.