The Reform Treaty is born… It is expected to be ratified in Lisbon on the 13th of December

Let's discover ou new rubric "The EU in short" : the EU and its more important steps are explained in a very simple language; straight to the point !

Short recall: The proposed constitution was signed in Roma on the 29th of October 2004 but couldn’t be ratified thanks to, or because of, in any case after France and the Netherlands voted against it in referendums.

After a two-years-reflection period, the governments gathered within the European Concil on the 21^st and the 22^nd of June 2007 reached agreement on a new treaty, which is set to include most of the main points of the failed constitution.

This treaty has been agreed by the European Concil on the 19^th of October 2007 and is called the Reform Treaty, or the Simplified Treaty although it should become known as the Treaty of Lisbon after having been ratified on the 13^th of December.

Most states will ratify it through parlamient route (exept Ireland which is legally bound to hold a referendum) during the 1^st semester 2008 and should enter into force on the 1^st of January 2009 if there is no political stalemate in between ...