Riigivälised

Riigivälised is a term used in Estonian political science, law and public administration to describe phenomena, actors, or processes that operate beyond the authority or jurisdiction of a single state. The word is formed from riik (state) and väline/välis (external), and the form riigivälised is the attributive plural adjective used to modify nouns referring to things not under domestic state control.

The concept covers cross-border interactions and international dimensions, including activities and entities that lie outside a single state’s internal policy or governance. It is commonly applied to non-state actors, such as international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations, as well as to issues that require international cooperation or have global implications. Riigivälised topics can also describe legal, economic or security matters that extend beyond a single country’s borders, such as transnational crime, cross-border trade and finance, or global governance challenges.

In usage, riigivälised is often contrasted with riigisisene (domestic) or rahvusvaheline (international) to clarify the scope of discussion. It serves as a concise label for the part of policy, law, or analysis that exceeds a single nation’s jurisdiction and involves actors or processes operating on a broader, often transnational, level. The term is common in academic writing and policy discussions about globalization, international cooperation, and the interactions between states and non-state actors.