Leaders of EU Member States sign Lisbon Treaty [Figure]

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　　　　On December 13th, in Lisbon, Portugal, leaders of EU member states took the stage to sign the Lisbon Treaty.

　　　　On December 13th, in Lisbon, Portugal, leaders of EU member states applauded to celebrate the signing of the Lisbon Treaty.

　　　　On December 13th, in Lisbon, Portugal, leaders of EU member states took a group photo after the Lisbon Treaty was signed. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)

　　　　China Journal Global Online News: Leaders of EU member states signed the Lisbon Treaty in Lisbon, Portugal, on the 13th. If the treaty is finally ratified by member States, it will pave the way for the reform of EU institutions.

　　　　The signing ceremony was held in Jeronimos Monastery, which was listed as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO. Portuguese Prime Minister Socrates, the rotating presidency of the European Union, European Commission President Barroso and European Parliament Speaker Petrin delivered short speeches successively.

　　　　Socrates said that the Lisbon Treaty will make the EU more modern, more efficient and more democratic, and will also make the EU’s voice in the world louder. Barroso said that the Lisbon Treaty will make the EU better serve the citizens of its member countries and make the EU’s foreign policy more coherent. The signing of the Lisbon Treaty has made the EU full of confidence in the future.

　　　　After the speech, the leaders of the 27 member States of the European Union signed the treaty one after another. The signing of the Lisbon Treaty marks the temporary end of the constitutional crisis that has plagued the EU for more than two years. According to the plan, the treaty ratification procedure will be completed in 2008 and will take effect before the European Parliament election in 2009.

　　　　In 2005, after the EU Constitutional Treaty was rejected by France and the Netherlands, the EU was caught in a constitutional crisis, and the issue of institutional reform was forced to be shelved. In March this year, EU leaders adopted the Berlin Declaration, announcing the end of the constitutional reflection period. The Lisbon Treaty, regarded as a simplified version of the EU Constitutional Treaty, was born six months later.

　　　　According to the Lisbon Treaty, the Council of the European Union will have a permanent president to replace the current rotation mechanism of the EU presidency once every six months; At present, the two overlapping functions of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission Commissioner for Foreign Affairs will be merged; The European Commission will be slimmed down, and the current practice of appointing an EU member in each member state will be abolished; Replace the current "effective majority voting system" with "double majority voting system"

Editor: Li Xiuwei