Pending the Lisbon Treaty. The European Parliament is soon to express its views on highly significant aspects of EU commercial policy, before the Lisbon Treaty has even conferred any real powers upon it in this field. Legally speaking, at the present time, there is nothing it can do. The European Commission negotiates on a mandate from the Council, which takes the decisions. Of course, over the years, the Parliament has endeavoured to make its voice heard - albeit in a disjointed and...