NON-STATE ACTORS IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF WTO, WIPO AND THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

The paper discusses engagement of Non-State Actors in the world politics through their participation in intergovernmental institutions. Even though their definition seems to be considerably difficult, there is no longer any doubt that Non-State Actors play an increasingly important role on the world stage, among others through their active engagement in intergovernmental institutions. The main body of the article discusses thoroughly the real opportunities that different Non-State Actors, namely International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), different kinds of what the article proposes to call Internationally Active National Actors (IANAs), or other Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), have in engaging in the work of three intergovernmental institutions the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The opportunities offered by these institutions to participation of Non-State Actors in their activities are confronted with the scope to which Non-State Actors enjoy them in reality and with the so often neglected standpoint of Non-State Actors themselves. The limited extent of the comparative analysis does not allow describing the practice of cooperation of all intergovernmental organizations with Non-State Actors but it shows very well the general trend that can be observed in the contemporary rapidly evolving world order.