Whither the Council?

Abstract:     
The European Constitutional Convention was the result of the recognition of the failure of the Nice Treaty in both the scope of the treaty as well as the way in which the treaty was negotiated. The work of the Convention, although substantial and certainly beneficial to the practical functioning of the European Union, has provoked numerous criticisms, especially against its recommendations on institutional questions. This paper explores these criticisms, focusing on the areas of voting in the Council, formations of the Council, rotations of the Council Presidencies, foreign policy, structured co-operation, and the preservation or revision of the current institutional balance in the European Union.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 8

Keywords: Council, Convention, draft Constitutional Treaty

working papers series