The European Union and the governance of contested Global Spaces

Most of the areas which are beyond national jurisdiction have increasingly become contested, not least because of their growing importance and the recent 'return' of geopolitics. Their boundaries are blurred, and their governance has not been settled. The European Union (EU) is developing strategies to contribute to the governance of these areas: the high seas, the polar regions, the atmosphere, outer space, and cyberspace. Its roles remain, however, under-researched. This article sets the scene for a special issue that contributes to closing that gap. First, it problematizes existing concepts such as Global Commons and instead advocates the broader and more neutral analytical concept of Global Spaces. Second, it formulates guiding questions that the individual contributions subsequently address with different theoretical approaches. Third, it offers an overview of the relevant major international treaties and EU strategic policies that identifies the EU as a latecomer to the governance of Global Spaces.