Treaty of Lisbon and the problem of expanding EU institutes' competence

The author thoroughly explains the nature of legal phenomena that gave rise to such important sector of international law as an integration law. The author shows that, despite the existence of different theories of integration, developed in the doctrine, the real driving force of any integration process is the national interest, which determines its legal nature. On the one hand, some national and foreign lawyers admit the existence of a certain federalistic direction in the European integration process. Relying on this fact, three power branches are indicated in the institutional system of European Union. On the other hand, the basis of modern European Integration is represented by two founding treaties of the European Union, reflecting its international legal nature. The author examines and analyzes various aspects of the development of EU institutional system.