|
News Releases
No. 127/07
December 13, 2007
EU LEADERS SIGN TREATY OF LISBON 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, and create a more
democratic, open and accountable Union.
The President of the
European Commission, José Manuel
Barroso said, "This Treaty marks a
watershed in the history of European integration. The
Treaty of Lisbon puts citizens at the centre of the
European project. After six long years of negotiations
we can put institutional issues aside and concentrate
all our energy on delivering policy achievements for our
citizens. I call on the Member States to honor their
commitments and seek to ratify the treaty in good time
for its entry into force on January 1, 2009."
The Treaty of Lisbon will give the Union the capacity to
deliver change, to make Europeans more secure and
prosperous and to open up their opportunities to shape
globalization. It will give the EU the legal framework
to better respond to the issues of
energy
and
climate change,
and bolster its
counterterrorism and
crime-fighting powers. The Treaty will also make it
easier for the EU to respond to citizens' demands.
 "This
new Treaty is good for European citizens," said
Commission
Vice President Margot Wallström,
responsible for Institutional Relations and
Communication Strategy.
"It will enhance efficiency and give the Union a
single voice in external relations. People will have a
greater say in European policies through the reinforced
powers of their directly elected representatives in the
European Parliament
and the enhanced role of national parliaments. The new
'Citizens' initiative' will allow a million citizens to
ask the Commission to present a proposal. More democracy
is fundamental for a Union based on citizens' consent
and will help to restore confidence and trust in the
European integration process."
Among key planned improvements are:
-
A more democratic and open and accountable Union: both
citizens and national parliaments will see decisions
made first-hand as lawmaking discussions open up to
public scrutiny; Europeans will be given the opportunity
to influence proposed EU laws;
-
A more effective Union: through effective and
streamlined institutions--including swifter, more
consistent decision-making on law and order issues,
giving the EU greater ability to combat crime, terrorism
and
human trafficking;
-
More rights for Europeans: the EU's values and goals
will be set down more clearly than ever before, and the
Charter of Fundamental Rights will be given the same
legal status as the EU treaties themselves;
-
A more prominent global actor: the EU will seek more
coherence between the different strands of its external
policy, such as diplomacy, security, trade and
humanitarian aid, and the bloc will be given a single
legal personality to strengthen its negotiating power.
Background
The Treaty of Lisbon, drawn up by the
2007
Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), was approved at the
informal
European Council on October 18-19 and was
signed by the Member States on December 13, 2007. The
signature of the Treaty will be followed by the
ratification process in all 27 countries. It is hoped
that the new Treaty will come into force on January 1.
2009.
More information on the Treaty of Lisbon is available
at: http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty and
http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/Treaty.htm
.
Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
|
