The institutional framework

The institutional context of the external relations of the European Union (EU) is complex. The roles of players such as the Council, Commission, European Parliament (EP), and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) differ considerably depending on the policy area. Such marked variations reflect differing paths of evolution and the different degrees of integration in different areas of external policy. This chapter focuses on the institutional basis of the international policy role of the EU, asking initially how we should think about the roles of institutions, and reviewing some of the key ideas about the ways in which the EU’s institutions work. The chapter then reviews three key areas of EU international policy and finally returns to ideas about institutions and their effects on policy.