News Releases

No. 75/07
June 25, 2007

EUROPEAN LEADERS REACH AGREEMENT ON REFORM TREATY

An agreement on the reform of EU institutions was reached at the European Council in Brussels on June 23. After two days of tough negotiations, EU leaders agreed on a mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference, which will draw up the Reform Treaty by the end of 2007. This treaty could enter into force in June 2009, ahead of the next elections to the European Parliament.

"We have made substantial progress," said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. "This is a great step forward for the European project. This summit gives a clear message to our citizens: they want policy action. They want results."

He described the deal reached as a success that most people had thought unthinkable just some months ago or even days ago: "The goal for the summit was to reach a mandate for an institutional settlement. We have reached it. […] Reaching agreement was a credibility test for the Union. This Reform Treaty provides the Union with the capacity to act."

German Chancellor and European Council President Angela Merkel said the new treaty represented a significant step forward for the European Union, increasing Europe's capacity to speak with one voice.

EU leaders found sustainable solutions to a number of difficult issues. The new text will make the Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding. The EU will have a single High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and a permanent president. Other achievements include an increased role for national parliaments, a reduced number of Commissioners from 2014,and a revised system of majority voting.

The new double majority voting system will enter into force in 2014, with a transition period allowing the current voting weights to be applied until March 2017.

The Reform Treaty is the EU's response to the negative outcome of the French and Dutch referenda on the earlier European Constitution proposals two years ago. The European Commission then called for a period of reflection to let national parliaments, Europeans and various parties have their say on how they see a future EU. Chancellor Merkel said the EU would now be able to move on from the reflection phase, having laid the basis for reform.

Institutional reform was not the only item on the Council's agenda. Leaders welcomed Cyprus and Malta to the Eurozone, thereby paving the way for the enlargement of the euro area to 15 member states as from January 1, 2008.

The Council also welcomed the restoration of fully inclusive, power-sharing, devolved government in Northern Ireland and underlined the European Union's longstanding and continuing support for the peace process.

For further information, please visit: http://www.eurunion.org .

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