Die diplomatische Vertretung der Europäischen Union

Up to now, the diplomatic representation of the European Union has not been regulated in the Treaty of the European Union. There are, however, a great number of activities in the sector of diplomatic representation. Kirstin Karalus examines whether or not these activities can be classified as diplomatic representation. She begins by defining the characteristic traits of diplomatic representation. Using these, she analyzes the powers and the institutions involved, such as for example the European Commission and the Council of the European Union. She shows that the so-called foreign delegations of the Commission can definitely be regarded as a diplomatic representation of the European Union. In conclusion, the author describes the extent to which the regulations of the Treaty of Lisbon, which provide for the establishment of a European foreign service, can lead to a further improvement of the present situation.