(The latest version of this page is at Pattern Descriptions. An archived copy of this page is held at https://www.patternsofpower.org/edition02/5351.htm)
When countries agree to work together to achieve a common purpose, they agree to accept group decisions rather than retaining specific aspects of their autonomy. They bind themselves because, by doing so, they bind the others in the group in the same way. They can do this by signing treaties which assign jurisdiction to an international court such as the Permanent Court of Arbitration,[1] or they can set up their own judicial system; the European Union is a prime example of the latter approach, and there are several other groups of countries which are following a similar path:
· The East African Court of Justice was instituted by a treaty.[2]
· The Andean Community has made legally binding agreements;[3] it is now affiliated to a wider grouping: UNASUR.
· The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) is in the early stages of agreeing governance.[4]
These three examples are less fully developed than the EU, so the latter is described here in more detail (5.3.5.2).
© PatternsofPower.org, 2014
[1] In May 2014 the Permanent Court of Arbitration€™s website was at http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/eCache/DEF/311.html.
[2] The East African Court of Justice website was at http://www.eacj.org/ in May 2014.
[3] The Andean Community website was at http://www.comunidadandina.org/endex.htm in May 2014.
[4] In March 2014, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) website was at http://www.unasursg.org/; there was also an Encyclopaedia Britannica article at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1496583/UNASUR.