Assessing the Potential Impact of the Lisbon Treaty on EU-ACP relations
Authors
The Lisbon Treaty, which came into force on 1 December 2009, represents the latest phase of the gradual transformation of the European Union (EU) from a rather inward- looking community to one with the ambition to be a global player. While the Union continues to emphasise peace, well being and prosperity as core values, addressing global challenges becomes an equally important matter in the Lisbon Treaty.
This note aims at providing global information on the institutional impact of the Lisbon Treaty and provides some indication on how some areas of ACP-EU can be potentially impacted. The paper, however, is cautious in providing definite answers, as the changes in EU external action are not yet finalised.
Impact of the Lisbon Treaty on the European institutional landscape
The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty represents a significant evolution in the way the EU manages its relationship with the rest of the world. The enlarged objectives that are attributed to EU external action under the Lisbon Treaty correspond to a widening EU foreign policy agenda, which will be supported by new structures (See Diagram) and executed with new roles.
