Treaty of Lisbon

This book examines the institutional innovations being introduced into the European Union as a result of 2009's Treaty of Lisbon. After examining the major changes taking place within the EU's major institutions-the European Council, European Parliament, and the European Commission-the authors look at the innovations brought by the treaty, such as the Presidency "triangle," the citizen's initiative, and the potentially enhanced role for national parliaments to play at the EU level. Two issues that were not particularly pressing at the time of the treaty's negotiation but which now exert a strong influence over the ability of the EU to realize its ambitions are carefully scrutinized: climate change and the global financial crisis.