The Lisbon Treaty: Bringing the union to a new phase

THE Lisbon Treaty changes the way the European Union functions.

Lisbon brings the union into a new phase. The first, from 1957 to 1993, was a functional non-political one where technical details were agreed to allow the common market to be created.

The second phrase began with the Maastricht Treaty and has been concerned with creating a political entity. Jan-Peter Paul, a member of the commission, treaty expert and author, sees the Lisbon Treaty as bringing us into the completion of the EU. It has not become a federation, but sharing an average of 410 new pieces of legislation and thousands of decisions each year certainly deepens the relationships between the member states.