Legal Personality of the European Union in the Context of External Relations and the Lisbon Treaty

Abstract

This paper examines the European Union’s legal personality in terms of external relations. The developments from the onset of the European integration till the Lisbon Treaty and the structural characteristics of the Union are analyzed in this paper. The Union’s participation and representation in international organizations and the third countries and the problems encountered during the implementation process are examined. The legal personality of the former European Community was abolished with the Lisbon Treaty which took force in 2009. Treaty also contains a catalogue of competence that has brought about some structural changes. As a legal entity the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty will no longer be the object of some problems related with its legal personality. But the extent to which these changes can lead to orchestrated behavior in external politics and solve the problems of representation is highly doubtful.

Keywords

European Union, External Relations, Legal Personality, Representation, Lisbon Treaty.

Citation

Büyüktanır, Derya, “Legal Personality of the European Union in the Context of External Relations and the Lisbon Treaty”, International Relations, Volume 7, Issue 27 (Fall 2010), p. 87-110.

Affiliations

• Derya Büyüktanır, PhD Candidate, Ankara University, Department of International Relations