Ben’s work, which was supervised by Professor Panos Koutrakos (Law) & Professor Achilles Skordas (Law), focused on on EU External Relations and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. His research explores how the EU and its organs operate in matters relating to the Convention. He examined the negotiations which led to UNCLOS and the way the Community acted during these negotiations. His research also analyses the Community Declaration of Competence regarding the Convention. Moreover specific areas covered by UNCLOS in which the Community has different levels of competence are explored. Throughout the research key elements such as competence issues, the respective roles of different Community organs and other factors are investigated to see how they influence the Community's external actions in this area.

His examiners were Dr Philip Syrpis (Law, Bristol University) and Professor Eileen Denza (formerly of UCL).