The Treaty of Lisbon has introduced major changes in the area of the European Union’s external relations. Aiming at establishing a unified representation and a stable leadership of EU foreign policy, the Treaty intends to reduce the role of the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council. This article reviews the literature regarding the roles of the rotating Presidency and examines in what ways and to what extent the Treaty of Lisbon may change these roles in the field of EU foreign policy. The empirical analysis looks at the experiences under the Belgian Presidency of the Council in 2010. It is argued that while the role of the country taking up the rotating Presidency is visually reduced, the Treaty of Lisbon has primarily transformed the role of the rotating Council Presidency in EU foreign policy.