Treaty of Lisbon

Today, 1 December 2009, sees the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. The occasion will be marked at EU level by a ceremony in the City of Lisbon. The European Commission 'believes that the new treaty provides significant new benefits for citizens and will settle the institutional debate for the foreseeable future. This will allow the European Union to fully concentrate on managing a smooth exit from the economic and financial crisis and pushing ahead with the 2020 strategy for greener growth.'

A Commission Memo sets out 10 examples of benefits for European citizens, together with details of the main innovations introduced by the Treaty.

Press Releases IP/09/1855, MEMO/09/531, 16919/09

Swedish Presidency news item

(Added 1 December 2009)