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Understanding the Lisbon Treaty
The European Council, which met in Lisbon on 18th and 19th October 2007 approved the new reform treaty so called "Lisbon Treaty", which replaces the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. This new treaty introduces modifications both to the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty) and the Treaty establishing the European Community (Rome Treaty).

On 13th December 2007 the 27 Heads of State and Government meet in Lisbon to sign the new treaty. The Lisbon Treaty has to be ratified by the 27 Member States before 1st January 2009 if it is to enter into force.

In addition to the official text the Robert Schuman Foundation offers its readers 10 information sheets which explain the main innovations contained within the treaty. It also provides a document with the ratification procedures in the 27 Member States as well as a ratifications map. You will also find the Foundation's latest publications with regard to all issues raised by the Lisbon Treaty.


1. Fact sheets 2. The ratification procedure by country 3. Ratification map 4. Text of the treaty 5. Foundation publications

Fact sheets

The Lisbon Treaty in 10 information sheets (Complete document including 10 sheets and annexes)
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• Sheet 1: To what purpose the Lisbon Treaty?
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• Sheet 2: How will the European Union work with the Lisbon Treaty?
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• Sheet 3: How will decisions be taken in a Union with 27 members?
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• Sheet 4: The Lisbon Treaty and citizens' power in the European Union
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• Sheet 5: Who is responsible for what?
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• Sheet 6: The Lisbon Treaty and the area of freedom, security and justice
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• Sheet 7: The Lisbon Treaty and economic issues
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• Sheet 8: The Lisbon Treaty and social issues
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• Sheet 9: The Lisbon Treaty and the enlargement policy
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• Sheet 10: The Lisbon Treaty and the Union's external action
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Annex 1 : List of treaties of the European construction
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Annex 2 : How the European Union's institutions are run
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Annex 3 : List of the articles coming under qualified majority voting
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Annex 4 : List of the articles coming under ordinary legislative procedure
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Europe Live

Environment
Parliament
A European Parliament delegation on climate change travelled to Washington to meet Congress members, the American administration and NGO's as well as... Austria
Luxembourg
Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker met Austrian Chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer on 28th April in Vienna to exchange view on European... Interim government
Belgium
After a six months crisis, the Belgian King Albert II reappointed in the night of 21st December the former Head of Government Guy Verhofstadt as... Freedom/Press
Studies/Reports
On 3rd May on the occasion of the International Day of the Freedom of the Press 'Reporters sans Frontières' (RSF) published an inquiry into the... Treaty Ratified
Austria
Austrian President Heinz Fischer signed the Lisbon Treaty on 28th April. This signature was the last stage in the ratification of the treaty after... Western Balkans
Council
On 29th April the 27 Foreign Ministers welcomed the signature of the Stabilisation and Assocation Agreement and an interim agreement between the... Summit
Macedonia
On 2nd and 3rd May a summit of Central and South East European countries took place in Ohrid, Macedonia; 19 heads of European States were invited to... UK
Studies/Reports
On 29th April the Foundation for Strategic Research published a study entitled "la National Security Strategy britannique: un aboutissement plus... Mediterranean
France
During his State visit to Tunisia between 28th and 30th April, French President Nicolas Sarkozy defended the Mediterranean Union in a speech... Euro
Austria
On 28th April the Austrian National Bank organised a conference on the theme of "The Euro in an Enlarged European Union." In June the euro will be... Integration
Lithuania
With the support of the programme for co-operation development and the promotion of democracy launched by Lithuanian Foreign Minister, the Moldavians... ACP Countries
WTO
On 20th December the European Union concluded trade deals with almost all of the African-Carribean-Pacific (ACP) countries. As from January 1st 2008... Italy
Publication
The Centre for Applied Policy (CAP) in Munich has published a paper entitled "La Fabbrica del Programme against the media empire. New Campaign... CO2
Commission
On 19th December the European Commission adopted a proposal that aims to reduce fuel consumption as well as CO2 and pollutant emissions from road... Unemployment
Germany
According to figures published on 30th April by the German Federal Employment Agency unemployment continued to drop in Apirl (-94,000 people ie... Parliament/Presidents
Italy
On 29th April the Italian Senate elected its president, Renato Schifani, after the elections on 13th and 14th April last; he is 58 years old and one... Lisbon Treaty
Ireland
During a conference on 30th April in Prague organised by the Czech association ANO Pro Evropu and the Czech Senate Commission responsible for... Rail Transport
Commission
On 30th April he European Commission adopted guidelines for State aid to railway undertakings. The guidelines clarify the rules governing public... Charlemagne Prize
Germany
On May 1st German Chancellor Angela Merkel received the Charlemagne Prize which since 1950 has lauded the merits of a personality or an institution... Growth
Commission
According to the Commission's spring economic forecast published on 28th April growth in the European Union is expected to ease to 2% in 2008 and... Deficit/France
Commission
In its forecasts published on 28th April the European Commission expects an increase in the public deficit from 2.9% to 3% of the GDP in France in... European Elections Monitor - Serbia
Foundation
On 11th May next 7 million Serbs will be called to vote to renew their Parliament in early general elections; these come in the wake of the... Lille
Europe Day
As part of the future French Presidency of the European Union, the Foreign Minister is organising a series of meetings to provide European citizens a... Interim Government
Belgium
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt succeeded in reaching agreement on 19th December to form an interim government until 23rd March next... Privatisation
Germany
The government coalition CDU/SPD came to an agreement on the partial privatisation of the German railway company, Deutsche Bahn (DB), to a total of... Rome Appeal
Euromed
On 20th December French President Nicolas Sarkozy together with the heads of the Italian and Spanish governments, Romano Prodi and José Luiz... SME
France
In a letter addressed to the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President... Timoshenko, Prime Minister
Ukraine
The Ukrainian parliament voted on 18th December in favour of the appointment of Yulia Timoshenko as Prime Minister. 226 MPs of the Timoshenko Block... Turkey
Council
The European Union and Turkey opened two new chapters in the country's accession negotiations on 19th December: consumer protection and the... Warsaw
Europe Day
The 15th Euro-Polish Meeting is taking place between 5th and 11th May; there will be conferences and an exhibition. The highlight will be the Schuman... Senate
Studies/Reports
A comparative legislation study by the French Senate with regard to nine European countries (Germany, Austria, Beligium, Denmark, Spain, UK, Ireland,... Gas Pipeline
Greece
On 29th April Greece and Russia signed an agreement confirming Greece's entry into the Russian-Italian gaspipeline project, "South Stream". The... Ratification
Hungary
Four days after the signature of the Treaty of Lisbon by the 27 Member States on 13th December the Hungarian Parliament ratified the new European... Freedom/Expression
Council of Europe
On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day on 3rd May the Council of Europe opened a discussion forum on the internet dedicated to the freedom of... External Relations
Council
The "General Affairs and External Relations" Council that met on 29th April assessed the planned organisation of a referendum with regard to the... Ratification
Hungary
Four days after the signature of the Treaty of Lisbon by the 27 Member States on 13th December the Hungarian Parliament ratified the new European... Defence
Finland
Finnish Defence Minister, Jyri Häkämies travelled to the UK on 28th and 29th April where he met his British counterpart Des Brown. They notably spoke... Environment
UK
During an economic summit (Prince of Wales Business Summit) in London on May 1st British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown called on economic leaders to... Salzburg Festival
Culture
Since 2007 the Whitsun Festival in Salzburg (Austria) has been dedicated to Napolitan baroque and the start of the classical era. This year the... Inflation
Eurostat
According to Eurostat figures published on 30th April the annual inflation rate in the euro area lay at 3.3% in April 2008. In March it was 3.6%. Russia
Presidency
EU and Russian leaders met to discuss the partnership agreement on 29th April in Luxembourg. This agreement has notably been rejected by Lithuania... European Elections Monitor-Macedonia
Foundation
The rejection of Macedonia's candidature to join NATO on 3rd and 4th April led to the dissolution of the Macedonian Parliament and the organisation... Interim Government
Belgium
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt succeeded in reaching agreement on 19th December to form an interim government until 23rd March next... Economic Confidence
Commission
A European Commission study published on 30th April on the Economic Sentiment Indicator reveals a clear decline in company head and consumer... Fisheries
Council
On 19th December the 27 Fisheries Ministers came to an agreement on the quotas of fish capture per country and per species in 2008. The main issue at... Unemployment
Eurostat
According to Eurostat figures published on 30th April, the euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.1% in March 2008, and at 6.7%... Wine
Council
On 19th December three days after negotiations the 27 Agriculture ministers adopted a reform package with regard to the European wine industry which... Feteleurope
Europe Day
All of the events organised on the occasion of Europe Day on 9th May in France and in the European Union are available on the Internet site. So come... New Zealand
Presidency
Dimitrij Rupel, Slovenian Foreign Minister chaired a European Union troika meeting with New Zealand on 30th April. He said he was pleased with the... Timoshenko, Prime Minister
Ukraine
The Ukrainian parliament voted on 18th December in favour of the appointment of Yulia Timoshenko as Prime Minister. 226 MPs of the Timoshenko Block... Youth
Parliament
On 29th April the first place in the Charlemagne Prize for European Youth was awarded by the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert... Food Safety
Studies/Reports
The Swedish Institue for European Studies (SIEPS) has published a report entitled "Transforming the European Community's Regulation of Food Safety"... Viticulture
Commission
On 29th April the Council adopted a reform of the common organisation of the win market which was the focus of an agreement between the 27... Medical Care
Commission
According to a new report presented by the European Commission on 28th April the demands for and costs of long-term care provision in the EU will... Scy-Chazelles
Europe Day
Between 9th and 18th May a number of events are being organised at Robert Schuman's house at Scy-Chazelles in celebrate of Europe Week. Security/Payments
Commission
On 28th April the European Commission published a report on the actions undertaken on prevention of payment fraud between 2004 and 2007 following an... Belarus/Conference
Foundation
The Robert Schuman Foundation is organising a conference-debate (in French) on 6th May together with the French Information Bureau at the European... Concert for Europe
Culture
On the occasion of Europe Day the French Senate invites you to a Concert for Europe performed by the Young Voices of the Rhine on 9th May. Included... Public Opinion
Eurobarometer
The Eurobaromoter autumn survey reveals that the general attitude of citizens vis-à-vis the European Union and its institutions is still extremely... Transparency
Commission
On 30th April the Commission adopted changes to the rules of access to documents from EU institutions. These changes reaffirm the Commission's... Franco-German Competition
France
On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of its founding the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ) is launching a competition entitled: "Souvenirs... Brenner Tunnel
Italy
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano symbolically laid the foundation stone of the Brenner railway tunnel on 28th April; the tunnel will link Austria...

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