The Impact of the Treaty of Lisbon on Bilateral Trade Negotiations of the European Union: Case Study India
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my mentor, prof. Idesbald Goddeeris, for the valuable comments, suggestions and guidance that he has afforded to me throughout this academic year. I would also like to thank my family and friends who have always supported me.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The subject of this paper is the analysis of the change in mutual relation between the European Parliament, European Commission and European Council after the Lisbon treaty on the example of the bilateral trade negotiations. Thus, author seeks to answer two questions; firstly, how the EU institutions involved in bilateral trade negotiations adapted themselves to the new post-ToL institutional setting and secondly, how those adaptations have influenced the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations? To answer those questions, author utilizes two strands of new institutionalism: rational choice and normative institutionalisms which have been chosen due to their explanatory value regarding inter-institutional relations. Qualitative research methods, moreover case study as a pivotal tool is used. The case study concerns itself with the ongoing EU-India FTA negotiations and is chosen due to its currency and the fact that the negotiations have spanned the timeline both before and after the ToL has entered into force. After providing a brief overview of the evolution of both EU’s trade policy in general and bilateral trade negotiations in particular, author provides a preview of the first findings that have been made on the topic of post-ToL trade policy. Hence, a short analysis of the only FTA that has been signed since the ToL came into force (the FTA with South Korea) is presented. After providing a context of the negotiations, the inter-institutional relations and the way the institutions adapted to the new institutional setup, three analytical
[pic]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my mentor, prof. Idesbald Goddeeris, for the valuable comments, suggestions and guidance that he has afforded to me throughout this academic year. I would also like to thank my family and friends who have always supported me.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The subject of this paper is the analysis of the change in mutual relation between the European Parliament, European Commission and European Council after the Lisbon treaty on the example of the bilateral trade negotiations. Thus, author seeks to answer two questions; firstly, how the EU institutions involved in bilateral trade negotiations adapted themselves to the new post-ToL institutional setting and secondly, how those adaptations have influenced the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations? To answer those questions, author utilizes two strands of new institutionalism: rational choice and normative institutionalisms which have been chosen due to their explanatory value regarding inter-institutional relations. Qualitative research methods, moreover case study as a pivotal tool is used. The case study concerns itself with the ongoing EU-India FTA negotiations and is chosen due to its currency and the fact that the negotiations have spanned the timeline both before and after the ToL has entered into force. After providing a brief overview of the evolution of both EU’s trade policy in general and bilateral trade negotiations in particular, author provides a preview of the first findings that have been made on the topic of post-ToL trade policy. Hence, a short analysis of the only FTA that has been signed since the ToL came into force (the FTA with South Korea) is presented. After providing a context of the negotiations, the inter-institutional relations and the way the institutions adapted to the new institutional setup, three analytical