Menschenrechts- und Demokratieklauseln in den Außenbeziehungen der Europäischen Union zu den AKP-Staaten

The EU is founded on the intention to promote peace and build a world based on respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Since the Treaty of Lisbon, Article 21 TEU provides the explicit primary legal basis for the pursuit of non-economic objectives in foreign policy. In all agreements with third countries, the EU tries to include human rights clauses. Their regulatory content has been subject to change over the years. Their development is strongly linked to relations with the ACP countries. Therefore, the focus of the case studies examining consultation procedures under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement is on these countries. The main focus is on the analysis of the reasons for the imposition of sanctions against Zimbabwe and their effectiveness. The relevance of the topic arises in light of the expiring Cotonou Agreement in 2020 and the question of whether a value-oriented foreign policy is still up to date.