The European Council

This systematic assessment of the -often opaque- European Council looks at its nature and function, as well as its impact on EU supranational and intergovernmental goals. Taking account of both historical and contemporary developments up to and beyond the Lisbon Treaty, it encourages in-depth understanding in light of key theoretical debates.

PART I: THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL: OVERVIEW AND HISTORY 1. Introduction: The Many Faces of the European Council 2. Multiple Approaches for Understanding a Contested Institution: Three Models 3. Pre-History: the Birth of Institutionalised Summitry 4. History: Generations of Leaders and the Institutional Trajectory PART II: THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL WITHIN THE EU ARCHITECTURE 5. Political and Procedural Leadership: General Functions and Specific Powers 6. Towards a New Institutional Balance? Trends in Inter-Institutional Relations PART III: INSIDE THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL: THE DYNAMICS OF DECISION MAKING 7. The Presidency: Charismatic Master or Facilitating Manager? 8. Rules for Organisation: the Search for an Optimal Institutional Arrangement 9. Decision-Making: The Ways to Consensus Formation 10. Decision-Making: The Power Dimension PART IV: ACTIVITIES, AGREEMENTS AND ACTS 11. Deepening: The Constitutional Architect 12. Widening: The Master of Enlargement 13. Economic Governance: Towards a 'gouvernement économique'? 14. External Action: In Search of a Coherent and Effective Global Role 15. The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: Pre-Constitutional and Pre-Legislative Functions PART V: CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: A KEY INSTITUTION'S RISE AND DECLINE? 16. The European Council: Looking Back to Look Forward