Political Executive Power

Abstract This chapter focuses on the political layer, the ‘political executive’, close to the top layer of the European Council, the Council of Ministers, and the Commission and associated actors (the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy). It is here that the tides of treaty reform have been most prominent and visible, and these are detailed if relevant. In addition, an impression is given of evolving inter-institutional practices in the relationships between different bodies — especially between the political institutions and the European Parliament.