Publication

This paper examines the extent to which the Lisbon Treaty, brought into force in 2009, increased the European Parliament’s (EP) capacity to influence the EU’s trade policy. The authors argue that although the Lisbon Treaty significantly increased the EP's influence, its power in trade policy has increased in a more subtle way than a legal reading of the treaty would suggest. Consequently, they contend that the EP still faces major challenges in turning the Lisbon changes into effective influence.