Chapter 15 - The role of the (European) Council: Practical improvements in volatile times

Poul Skytte Christoffersen makes the case that now, ten years after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, is an appropriate time to take stock of the institutional experience of the past decade and make some relevant adjustments. In ‘The role of the (European) Council: Practical improvements in volatile times’ he assesses the role of these institutions and reflects on possible adjustments to the way the two institutions work and interact with each other and with other EU institutions. Since treaty change is unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future, he presents practical improvements for the upcoming period to make the work of the European Council and the Council more effective.