Enhanced Cooperation Mechanism After the Treaty of Lisbon

Enhanced cooperation is a mechanism which gives member states the opportunity to integrate further. One of its most important characteristics is that it allows the establishment of the cooperation in accordance with the Treaties and within the existing EU legal system. Increase in the areas of usage and Brexit process/integration debates introduced the possibility of frequent implementation of enhanced cooperation in the future. This is why enhanced cooperation must be understood correctly and must be built on solid legal basis. This importance requires an in-depth analysis of this mechanism. This article examines the development of enhanced cooperation, the principles and procedures for the establishment of the mechanism and evaluates implementation and legal deficiencies within this framework