50 Jahre Europäischer Rat – „Intergouvernementalisierung“ der Europäischen Union?

With the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Council became an institution of the European Union (EU) that is fully integrated into the institutional framework. In this way, the originally intergovernmental institution was linked to the supranational decision-making centre of the EU. This is associated with shifts in the institutional power structure, which are to be resolved by the legal role ascribed to it as the political governing body of the member states in the EU, which is explicitly not permitted to act as a legislator. Nevertheless, the European Council competes with the Commission as a political driving force for integration and challenges the Council and the European Parliament as a “shadow legislator”. In order to reflect on the ambivalent position of the European Council, this article will examine the organisation, decision-making procedure and responsibilities of the European Council.