Putting Power into Practice: Capacity-building and the European Parliament’s Role in EU Trade Negotiations

Since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament (EP) has acquired the right to ratification of international trade agreements that are concluded in the framework of the European Union’s (EU) common commercial policy. These provisions engendered a need for developing administrative mechanisms and structures to support the EP in the execution of its formal role of overseeing the negotiation of international trade agreements. This paper sets out how the EP has built this administrative capacity by developing informal mechanisms. Secondly, the paper reflects on the factors that motivate the EP’s willingness to the develop this administrative capacity. To do so, the paper relies on interviews with EU officials, document analysis and fieldwork in the EP’s International Trade Committee.