Why does Morocco have observer status in transnational parliaments in Latin America? Why does an increasing number of regional international organisations (IOs) maintain representations in third countries?

This paper argues that legitimacy considerations strongly determine the external relations of IOs, which contribute to legitimising IOs in two ways. Firstly, there can be a direct effect if IOs credibly solve coordination problems and efficiently fulfil tasks that are usually provided for by states. Secondly, there can be an indirect effect that derives from either certain characteristics of an IO or the “division of labour” in external affairs between member states and an IO. A two-level architecture of external relations allows member states to exploit different configurations between these two levels. Granting specific states observer status can aim at stressing an IO’s efforts to spread democratic norms; or allow states to pursue controversial policies without straining bilateral relations.

This paper looks at different forms of external relations of IOs and their underlying motives. After identifying institutional patterns of external IO relations in a quantitative large-N design, case studies will shed light on how IOs pursue external relations in order to signal legitimacy and the extent to which this is successful.