What the treaty will mean at grassroots level
What the treaty proposes:
The Lisbon Treaty aims to rationalise the EU’s institutions, the way they work, the voting structures and sets out clearly the areas each institution is responsible for.
The EU works through a number of institutions — the European Council, the Council of Ministers, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice, the European Central Bank and the European Court of Auditors.
The council is made up of heads of state. Under the treaty, the role of the council will be more defined and the president will be elected for a two-and-a-half-year term.
He is likely to be a figurehead for the EU at major international events but is not intended to be a President of Europe.
The job is renewable once, has no executive powers and will replace the existing practice where each prime minister does the job for six months.
The council is made up of representatives of EU member states. Under the treaty, the council will continue its law-making role.
There will be major changes to voting arrangements. The system of qualified majority voting means any proposal will need the support of 55% of member states representing 66% of the EU’s population.
However, decisions on taxation and defence in relation to Ireland will still require a unanimous vote.
The commission is an independent institution. It submits proposals for new EU legislation, policies and programmes. Under the treaty, the commission must show their proposed measures are necessary.
After 2014, just two thirds of the 27 member states will have a commissioner — so each country in rotation will be without a commissioner for five in every 15 years.
Members of the parliament are elected every five years. Under the treaty, the membership will be capped to 751 seats. Ireland will have its MEPs reduced from 13 to 12 from 2009.
The court composed of judges from each member state, will have its jurisdiction widened to include some justice areas but not policing or cooperation on criminal affairs and, though excluded from foreign policy, it will be able to review sanctions.
No major changes have been made to the role of these.
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