Signing ceremony of the Treaty of Lisbon

Signing ceremony of the Treaty of Lisbon EU state leaders, as well as European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and European Parliament President Hans-Gert P¶ttering, signed the 13 of December 2007 the EU Reform Treaty, also known as the Lisbon Treaty. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of United Kingdom, signed some hours later in a different room as he was unable to join other European heads of government at the official signing ceremony due to a Parliamentary committee meeting. The Treaty has been designed to simplify decision-making by changing voting rules within the enlarged EU. It also creates the post of a long-term president of the European Council, in place of the current six-month rotation between member states, and a new post of EU foreign policy chief, which combines the duties of present foreign policy chief Javier Solana and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The Lisbon Treaty, which replaces the failed EU Constitution, is expected to overcome the prolonged crisis prompted by rejection by French and Dutch voters in referendums in 2005. It is expected to come into force in January 2009.

European Commission | February 1, 2008

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