THE TREATY OF LİSBON

 Treaty of Lisbon
 Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on
European Union and the Treaty
establishing the European Community

 Type of treat Amender of previous treaties

Drafted 7–8 September 2007
Signed- location 13 December 2007 Lisbon,Portugal
Sealed 18 December 2007
Effective Scheduled to 1 January 2009
Signatories EU Member States
 Depositor Government of Italy
 Languages 23 EU languages
 The Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the
Reform Treaty) is a treaty that would alter
how the EU works through a series of
amendments to the Treaty on EU and the
Treaty establishing the European
community the latter being renamed Treaty
on the Functioning of the European Union
(TFEU) in the process.
 The two consolidated treaties would form the
legal basis of the Union, and combined
constitute most of the content of the rejected
European Constitution.
 The most prominent innovations
of the Treaty of Lisbon are
arguably the scrapping of the
pillar system, reduced chances
of stalemate in the EU Council
through more qualified majority
voting,
 a more powerful European
Parliament through extended
codecision with the EU Council,
as well as new tools for more
 coherent policies and continuity,
such as a long-term President of
the European Council and High
Representative For Foreıgn
Affairs .
 The Treaty was signed
on 13 December 2007 in
Lisbon and is scheduled
to be retified in all
twenty-seven member
states by the end of
2008, in time for the2009
European elections .

 As of May 23 ,2008,
fourteen countries have
finished ratification.
History of the European Constitution

 21 – 23 june 2007 European Council meeting in Brussels, mandate for IGC

 23 July 2007 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in Lisbon, text of

Reform Treaty

 7–8 September 2007 Foreign Ministers’ meeting

 18–19 October 2007 European Council in Lisbon, final agreement on

Reform Treaty

 13 December 2007 signing in Lisbon

 by end of 2008 ratified by all Member States

 1 January 2009 entry into force

 'Family photo' after the 2004 signing of the Constitution in Rome

'Family photo' after the 2004 signing of the Constitution in

Rome
Why does Europe need the Treaty of
Lisbon?
 To realise its full potential, the European
Union needs to modernise and reform.

 The European Union of 27 members is

operating with rules designed for an EU of 15.
Over the last decade, the European Union has
been looking for the right way forward to
optimise the instruments at its disposal and
reinforce its capacity to act.
 At the same time, there is increasing support for the EU to work
together on issues that affect us all, such as climate change, energy
security and international terrorism.

 As the EU has grown and its responsibilities have changed, it makes

sense to update the way in which it works.
 Welcome improvements delivered by the
Treaty would include giving the EU the means
to tackle today's challenges in today's world.

 There are three fundamental reasons for the

Treaty: more efficiency in the decision-
making process; more democracy through a
greater role for the European Parliament and
national parliaments; and increased
coherence externally. All of these will equip
the EU to better promote the interests of its
citizens on a day-to-day basis.
What does the Treaty of Lisbon
change for citizens?
 The Treaty of Lisbon will seek to
reinforce the Union's capacity
to act through strengthened
external coherence, a
broadened range of internal
policies, more effective delivery
of results and policy
achievements for citizens, and
modern institutions that work
in a Union of 27.
 The Treaty of Lisbon responds to concerns raised by European
citizens. For example, the political commitment to tackle the
twin challenges of climate change and energy policy is fully
reflected in the Treaty.

 For the first time, the treaties will contain a section on energy
which assigns to Union policy in this sector the objectives of
ensuring the proper functioning of the energy market, in
particular energy supply and the promotion of energy efficiency
and energy saving, and the development of new and renewable
forms of energy.
 New possibilities have been created to deal for example with cross
border effects of public health, civil protection and to support cross-
border activities in sport.

 The Treaty of Lisbon puts freedom, justice and security at the

centre of its priorities.

 The European Union will be able to deal better with criminal gangs
who smuggle people across frontiers, promote and support action
in the area of crime prevention and help to tackle terrorism through
the freezing of assets. It will also confirm the EU commitment to
the development of a common immigration policy.

 The Treaty of Lisbon will also contain a “solidarity clause”

indicating that the Union and its Member States shall act jointly in a
spirit of solidarity if a Member State is the target of a terrorist
attack or the victim of a natural or man-made disaster.
These innovations will give the Union the possibility to better implement its
policies aimed at ensuring economic growth and competitiveness,
improving employment and social conditions, enhancing personal and
collective security, promoting a better environment and better health
conditions, developing cohesion and solidarity between Member States as
well as scientific and technological progress and, finally, improving its
ability to act on the international scene.
For the first time,
one million
citizens from
different Member
States will also be
able to directly
request that the
Commission brings
forward an
initiative of
interest to them in
an area of EU
competence.
Will national parliaments have a greater
say in European affairs?

 National parliaments are for the first time fully

recognised as part of the democratic fabric of the
European Union. Special arrangements are made
to help national parliaments to become more
closely involved in the work of the Union. 
Will citizens be able to present initiatives to
the Union’s institutions?

 The Treaty of Lisbon introduces the European Citizens’ Initiative.

 The new participatory democracy provision indicates that one million

citizens coming from a significant number of Member States may take the
initiative of inviting the Commission to submit any appropriate proposal on
matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the Union is required for
the purpose of implementing the Treaty of Lisbon. The details of this
procedure would be set out in legislation
Does the Treaty of Lisbon make the decision-making process
more democratic?

 The Treaty of Lisbon will increase the number of policy areas where the
directly elected European Parliament has to approve EU legislation
together with the Council comprised of national Ministers (the “co-
decision” procedure).

 The Treaty of Lisbon strengthens the democratic control of the European

Union with a stronger role for both the European Parliament and
national parliaments.

 It will establish a clearer distribution of powers between the Union and

the Member States, which will make it easier for the citizens to
understand “who does what”.
 Will more decisions be taken by qualified
majority voting?

 The Treaty of Lisbon will extend qualified majority voting to new

policy areas.
 It is very much in the European Union's interest to adopt a more
streamlined approach to decision-making, including on issues
such as fighting climate change, energy security and emergency
humanitarian aid to hot-spots around the globe.
 Some of the other changes address issues like citizens' initiatives,
diplomatic and consulate protection, and procedural matters.
 Unanimity will be retained in areas including tax, foreign policy,
defence and social security.
What are the main institutional changes
introduced by the Treaty?

 From 2014 the number of the Commissioners will be

reduced in size in order to streamline the Commission.
 There will no longer be a Commissioner from every
country - but from two-thirds of the Member States.
 Commissioners will be selected on a system of equal
rotation among the Member States to serve five-year
terms. So there would be a national from each
Member State in two Commissions out of three.
 The European Parliament will have no more
than 751 members.

 The delegate numbers for each country have

been fixed to a maximum of 96 and a
minimum of 6 for each Member State.

 A new permanent post, the President of the

European Council, is created. He or she will be
appointed by the European Council for a two
and a half years period.
 This will provide greater continuity and stability to
the work of the European Council.

 It creates a High Representative of the Union for

Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

 He or she will also become Vice-President of the

Commission, and will chair the External Relations
Council.

 This will strengthen coherence in external action

and raise the EU’s profile in the world, “putting a
face” on the Union.
Does the Treaty of Lisbon preserve what the EU
has achieved for the environment? What about
climate change?

 The Treaty of Lisbon states that one of the Union’s objectives is to work for
the sustainable development of Europe based, in particular, on a high level
of protection and improvement of the quality of the environment

 The environment is one of the spheres of competence shared between the

Union and the Member States. 

 When the Union intervenes in this area, it must contribute to the pursuit of
clear objectives: preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the
environment; protecting human health; promoting prudent and rational
utilisation of natural resources; promoting measures at international level
to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems.
Will the Treaty mean anything for Africa or countries
needing development or humanitarian aid?
 The Treaty of Lisbon introduces for the first time a
specific legal basis for humanitarian aid. This provision
stresses the specificity of the policy and the
application of the principles of international
humanitarian law, in particular impartiality and non-
discrimination.

 In case of urgent financial aid, the Council will act by

qualified majority upon a proposal from the
Commission. This should mean quicker financial aid in
the future.
 Will the Treaty create a European army?

 Military capabilities remain in national hands.

The Treaty foresees that Member States can make available civilian and military
resources to the Union for the implementation of its Common Security and
Defence operations. However, any Member State has the right to oppose such
operations and all contributions to them will be always on a voluntary basis.
A group of Member States who are willing and have the necessary capability will be
able to undertake disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue tasks,
military advice and peace-keeping tasks. No Member State can be forced to
participate in such operations.
08/05/2008 - Lithuania’s Parliament to vote yes to the Treaty

 Lithuania’s approval of the Treaty

of Lisbon marks a further step
forward in the ratification of the
text.

 Together with the Czech

Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia
and Slovenia, the country
recently became a full member of
the so-called Schengen area
introducing freedom of
movement and the abolition of
internal border controls for
nationals of all countries that
signed the Schengen agreement.
08/05/2008 - Latvia to welcome the Treaty of Lisbon

 With Latvia’s Parliament voting

‘yes’ to the text, another country
has now adopted the new EU
Treaty.

 Addressing Latvian
parliamentarians, Foreign
Minister Maris Riekstins had
recently noted that the adoption
of the Treaty will increase the
efficiency of the functioning of EU
institutions and, for the first time
in the history of the EU, citizens
can call on the Commission to
bring forward new policy
proposals.
08/05/2008 - Irish Parliament adopts the Treaty

 Ireland has embarked on

its ratification process of
the Treaty of Lisbon with
a ‘yes’ vote in the
Parliament.

 The measure will now be

submitted to the Irish
people, who will be asked
to vote either for or
against the new Treaty in
a referendum on 12 June.
24/04/2008 -
Another yes to the Treaty, with Denmark’s approval
 Denmark has given its
green light to the new
Treaty, taking to 10 the
number of countries
having already approved
the text.

 Denmark entered the

EU in the historic first
enlargement of 1973,
together with Ireland
and the United Kingdom.
24/04/2008 - Austria to give its green light to the Treaty

 The country that hosted the

signing of the Treaty of
Lisbon by the 27 EU
countries on December 13
has officially signalled its
approval of the document.

 Bringing about agreement

over a new reform treaty for
Europe has been Portugal’s
top priority from July 2007,
when the country began its
six months at the EU helm.
10/04/2008 -
Another thumbs-up for the Treaty with Slovakia’s ap
proval
 Another EU country has
welcomed the Treaty, with
the Slovakian Parliament
approving the text .

 Slovakia, one of the 10

countries to join the EU in
2004, has a single-chamber
parliament composed of
150 members elected for
four-year terms.
02/04/2008 - Polish Parliament to give its green light to the Treaty

 Poland, the largest of the 10

countries to join the EU in 2004,
has said yes to the Treaty.

 “This is the first Treaty of an

enlarged Union.

 For the first time, countries that
once belonged to two different
'Europes' are united in support
of a common Treaty which they
negotiated and signed
together,” said Commission
President Barroso recently.
21/03/2008 - Bulgaria to approve the new Treaty

 With the Bulgarian

Parliament voting in favour
of the Treaty, the EU has
taken another step forward
towards swift and successful
ratification of the text.

 Bulgaria joined the Union in

January 2007, together with
Romania, which already
endorsed the document on
February 4 this year.
18/12/2007 - Hungary first to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon

 Only days after being

signed by the 27 EU
leaders, the Treaty of
Lisbon has received its
first thumbs up, with
the Hungarian
parliament being the
first to approve it on
Monday 17 December.
04/02/2008 - Romania gives its seal of approval to the Treaty

 Romania, one of the last two

countries to join the EU, has given
further confirmation of its firm
European commitment by being
among the first to endorse the
new Treaty.

 “The Lisbon Treaty, the first

fundamental EU document that
Romania has signed as a fully-
fledged EU Member State, marks
a new stage in the evolution of
the European construction”, said
recently Romanian Prime
Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu.
29/01/2008 - Malta says yes to the Treaty

 Malta, one of the 10

countries to join the EU in
2004, has given its
approval to the new
Treaty.

 Together with Cyprus, the

country has recently
joined the single currency;
bringing the number of
countries using the euro
from 13 to 15.
29/01/2008 - Slovenian Parliament to approve the Treaty

 The Slovenian Parliament

approved the new Treaty.

 The country is currently

holding the six-month
rotating presidency of the
EU Council and is the first
of the ten countries
which joined the EU in
2004 to hold this
position.
 Melike Aydın