During the meeting of the Council of the European Union on 11 and 12 November agreement was reached with regard to a European Economic Recovery Plan (including a 200-billion-euro ($264 billion) pact to revive the battered economy), an energy/climate change package (reaffirming the commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and promote renewable energy), and decisions aiming to give new impetus to the European Security and Defence Policy in order to meet the new security challenges. But what is also important is the “new” approach that was negotiated regarding on how to proceed with the Lisbon…