Bulgakova D. International Treaty in the European Union Legal System (Theoretical Aspects).

This thesis focuses on the study of international treaty in the European Union legal system as a legal phenomenon, and features of its legal application at present stage. The research defines the characteristics of the use of the term "international treaty" within the framework of the EU law, the legal status and features of such groups of documents as inter-institutional agreements, the EU Council decisions and amendments to the founding treaties. The general and special classification criteria which can be applied to international treaty as a source of the EU law have been identified. The specifics of the EU treaties as a particular group of documents with the special status have been determined. The changes introduced into the founding treaties by the Lisbon Treaty in 2007 have been analysed. The features of international treaty as an instrument to regulate the relations between the EU member states have been considered. The process specificity of concluding international treaties between the EU and third countries and international organizations has been revealed. The main standardized types of the treaties concluded between the EU and third countries have been considered with the inherent features of each of the treaty types. The basic trends and development prospects for the current state of contractual relations between Ukraine and the EU have been examined.