Erell Mourouga had just obtained her master’s degree from the College of Europe in Natolin when she decided to revisit some of the questions raised in her thesis ‘Inventing the southern neighbourhood: How did France and Spain attempt to influence policy shaping with respect to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (1989-1995)?’ More specifically, she proposed a deep dive into the European Union (EU) archives to better understand the dynamics between European institutions, Member States and the Commission delegation to the UN General Assembly on the Western Sahara, at a time of institutional transformation, culminating with the Barcelona Conference in 1995.
Her project, which depended on primary research in the institutional holdings at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU), won support from the Postgraduate Vibeke Sørensen Grant programme.
European integration and foreign policy
“I was initially interested in the formulation of an EU foreign policy towards the region at the very onset of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), at a time when the conflict was a lot less polarised, both on the ground and intra-institutionally. I also focused on the process of the Europeanisation of foreign policy by Member States like France and Spain at such critical juncture in the formation and definition of (a) European foreign policy .”
By concentrating more closely on the actors involved in the formulation and implementation of the ENP, she found a good way “to further the MA thesis, but also narrow it down.”
Erell made extensive use of the archival resources available to explore these questions, particularly materials relevant to EU foreign policy in North Africa. In particular, she consulted documents from the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council, as well as interviews with diplomats included in the HAEU’s Oral History collections. Papers concerning the EU’s delegations to the United Nations were especially illuminating.
The materials were sufficient to support the writing of her final paper, ‘The Western Sahara dilemma: shaping EU foreign policy in the neighbourhood (1989-1995)’, developed with an eye to an eventual PhD proposal. “I found more than enough evidence to work with,” she said.
From research to practice
While an eventual doctoral programme is still on the horizon, Erell is in the meantime accumulating some valuable practical knowledge and experience to deepen her expertise on European integration and foreign policy. After her research visit in Florence, she started a Blue Book traineeship at DG NEAR, which from February 2025, transitioned to the new DG for the Middle East and North Africa, DG MENA. There, Erell assists in the area of EU bilateral cooperation with Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
A great place to do research
For Erell, the Sørensen grant marked her initiation into archival research at the HAEU.
“The archivists were extremely helpful in showing me how to use the database and navigate the collections,” she said.
“The EUI is a great place to do research,” she continued. “I had the chance to discuss my work with EUI researchers interested in similar topics, and it was great having access to the Library, which is truly wonderful. The human and material resources available made it really worthwhile. It was a precious opportunity to focus exclusively on research.”
About the Sørensen Grant
The Vibeke Sørensen Grant Programme for visiting scholars was set up in 1993, by then European University Institute President Emile Noël and with the support of the European Commission. The grant scheme adopted its current name in 1997 to honour the memory of EUI History alumna Dr. Vibeke Sørensen (1952 – 1995), who was also a staff member of the Historical Archives.
The programme is open to scholars at all career levels. The deadline for the 2025 grant programme is 30 April 2025.
Photo: Visit of an European parliament delegation to Western Sahara. Source: HAEU, FBG-127-I.5