In this conversation with Kasia Krzyżanowska, Hanna Eklund discusses her recent article, “Peoples, Inhabitants and Workers: Colonialism in the Treaty of Rome”, published in the European Journal of International Law. She talks about the “coded language” of colonialism in the Treaty of Rome, explains the approach of the Treaty drafters to the African independence movements, and reflects on the colonial legacies of contemporary EU law.

Hanna Eklund is Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Copenhagen. She publishes within the field of European Union law, particularly in its political and socio-economic context. She is the editor of the forthcoming book Colonialism and the EU Legal Order (Cambridge University Press, 2025).