1. What grants influence in the European Council?

2. Reflect on the new figure of a full-time European Council President. What are its advantages and disadvantages for the EU institutional system?

3. Is the post sufficiently defined?

4. Why is the voting system in the European Council named clearer and fairer after the Treaty of Lisbon?

5. How can the European Council Presidency affect the Commission's prerogatives?

6. Why were the posts - that of the Council's High Representative, and that of the Commissioner for External Action - merged? How is the new post called? What are its functions?

7. (How) can the President of the European Council protect national powers?

(José M. de Areilza)