The issues on which the treaty debate will hinge

The Lisbon Treaty makes important changes to how the European Union is run. As the countdown to the referendum continues, we begin our daily series explaining aspects of the treaty and the effects for Ireland. European correspondent Ann Cahill explains.

The EU is governed by a set of treaties, dating back to the 1951 Treaty of Paris, which established the union’s precursor, the European Coal and Steel Community.

The treaties are agreements among the member states on how the union should be run and what it should do. They have been revised several times to meet changes in the union.