The European Union after the Lisbon Treaty: An Elusive 'Institutional Balance'?

The chapter examines the new institutional dynamics of the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty, with a particular focus on the relationship between the European Commission and the Council of Ministers. It discusses the changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty - the creation of the position of the President of the European Council, the joint appointment of the High Representative for Foreign Policy as Vice-President of the European Commission and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Council, the setting up of the European External Action Service and the resultant implications for the rotating Presidency - and analyses the way in which these innovations affect the balance between the institutions. This analysis includes the political level (the relations between the Commission President, the European Council President and the Presidency) as well as the administrative level (the impact on the services of the Commission, on the Council Secretariat and on the involvement of national administrations). By way of conclusion, the chapter will reflect on the consequences that the new institutional provisions will have on the coherence, effectiveness and legitimacy of EU governance.