Discover Facts You Didn't Know About the Lisbon Treaty

The Lisbon Treaty was an attempt to refine the European Union Government by amending the treaties at the core of the European Union. The two treaties which the Treaty of Lisbon was intended to amend include the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community. These are also known as the Treaty of Maastricht and the Treaty of Rome, respectively.

The Treaty of Lisbon was signed in December 2007 and was put into effect in December 2009. The Lisbon Treaty amends the existing legislative body of the European Union such that legislation passed by the European Parliament must be passed through a double majority. 

A double majority means that the European Parliament must be in favor of the legislation in a majority of two different criteria. The first criteria refers to the overall population of the European Union, while the second criteria refers to a majority of the nations within the European Union.

The Lisbon Treaty was also significant for creating the position of a President of the European Council, the position of a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the legal enforcement of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which is the Bill of Rights for the European Union.

 The Treaty of Lisbon was ratified by all member states of the European Union, as it had to be for it to be adopted as an amendment treaty for the main treaties of the European Union.

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