The EU's Search for an Efficient Institutional Architecture for External Action in Multilateral Frameworks.

The European Union is not yet "good enough at multilateralism" and plays only a limited role thus far in international organisations. The latest attempts for constitutional change (Constitutional Treaty and Treaty of Lisbon) reflect the consensus among EU member states that a modified setup is necessary to live up to the Union's ambitions. The authors argue that the EU's capability to act effectively within multilateral frameworks is to a great extent dependent on the efficiency of its institutional architecture. The paper analyses relevant provisions of the Treaties of Nice and Lisbon (with a focus on CFPS) in order to identify existing problems and to assess the new setup in view of the EU's capability for internal coordination and external representation. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]