Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 11/2011

Swimming in murky waters: Challenges in developing the EU's external representation

Piotr Maciej Kaczyński

September 2011

Finnish Institute for International Affairs

Abstract

In the area of external affairs, the Treaty of Lisbon has introduced a number of innovations into the functioning of the European Union. The initial phase of these innovations was in 2010 when two parallel processes took place. First, the set-up of the European External Action Service (EEAS) was negotiated and subsequently implemented.