- Being founded on the principle of conferred powers, the EU may act only when
there is a legal basis for action provided in the Treaties. The choice of legal basis
determines the procedures by which secondary measures are adopted and the
participation of the EU institutions in decision-making.
- The two original Treaty provisions, which, since 1957, have expressly provided for the
conduct of EU international relations – art. 207 TFEU on common commercial policy
and article 217 TFEU on association agreements.