Institutional organization

© Council of the European Union

In December 2007 heads of state and government solemnly signed the »Treaty of Lisbon« on EU reform. Since then, 23 member states have fully ratified the treaty.

In Germany, the Federal Constitutional Court is currently deliberating on several complaints. The German president has not yet lodged the ratification document. The same applies for Poland and the Czech Republic. Following a first rejection by voters in 2008, Ireland plans to hold a second referendum this coming autumn. Thanks to a series of modifications, the Treaty of Lisbon improves the capacity for action of a European Union which has now grown to 27 member states.

These include a better demarcation of competences between the European Union and the member states, e.g. through the introduction of competence categories and a right for national parliaments to lodge complaints. In addition, the Council of Ministers will in future decide more often on the principle of majority voting. Despite criticism of many details, theseare all compelling reasons for the Treaty of Lisbon to enter into force rapidly. It improves the European Union’s capacity for action decisively and thereby creates a more reliableframework for the further development of businesses in the EU internal market.