Adapting the institutions to an enlarged EU

Among the most visible changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty are the reforms of the institutions: these reforms concern the number of the institutions and their respective powers, composition and internal functioning. The institutions will now have to cope with the increased rights given to other political actors, such as the national parliaments, the Committee of the Regions and the citizens themselves.

The Lisbon Treaty increases the number of the EU institutions from five to seven, by giving the European Council and the European Central Bank the status of institution. The respective powers of the institutions are somewhat reshuffled, most notably through a widening of the scope of the codecision procedure, an increase in the number of cases where a (redefined) QMV in the Council will apply, a reform of the budget decision-making procedure, the creation of the new offices of a full-time European Council President, elected for up to five years, and of a Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, appointed for five years, who is the president of the Foreign Affairs Council as well as one of the vice-presidents of the Commission, a reference to the Eurogroup which is chaired by a president elected by his/her peers and an extension of the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice.