ABSTRACT
The Treaty of Lisbon represents the culmination of a long process in which the European Union (EU) has legally grounded human rights and democracy as core objectives of its external relations. The Treaty of Lisbon is littered with references to human rights and democracy. The European Council rose gradually in the institutional framework of the EU since its creation in the early 1970s but became a formal institution of the Union only with the Treaty of Lisbon. Since the Treaty of Lisbon, the role of the European Council in EU external relations has come within the remit of the EU Treaties. Since the Treaty of Lisbon, the role of the European Council in EU external relations has come within the remit of the EU Treaties. The Commission together with the Council, and with the assistance of the High Representative (HR), has to ensure consistency across the board of EU external action.
