EU Leaders Sign Historic Treaty to Reform Union

Marking an historic step in European integration, the European Union's 27 Member States today signed the Treaty of Lisbon. The new Treaty will provide the European Union with the tools necessary to respond to the challenges of the 21st century.

These improvements will enhance the EU's presence as a global actor, provide EU citizens with a charter of fundamental rights, bolster counterterrorism and crime-fighting powers, and create a more democratic, open, and effective Union.

"The treaty of Lisbon will reinforce the Union's capacity to act and the ability to achieve goals in an effective way," said President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. "As such, it will help the Union to deliver better results to European citizens. Fifty years after the Treaty of Rome, we can be proud of what we have achieved in the past. Today, as we sign the Treaty of Lisbon, we can be confident about what we will achieve in the future."

The Treaty of Lisbon amends the current treaties without replacing them. It will provide the Union with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and to respond to citizens' demands.

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