Assessing the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on EU-South Africa Relations

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. The Lisbon Treaty represents a shift in EU emphasis from peace, well-being and prosperity within the EU to a concern with addressing global challenges.

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 and EU-Africa cooperation as well as EU-SA cooperation can be potentially impacted.