Special Features - UK signs EU Reform Treaty

UK signs EU Reform Treaty
(21/12/07)

The UK has joined 26 other European countries in signing the European Union (EU) Reform Treaty in Lisbon, Portugal.

Brown and Miliband sign

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, and Minister for Europe, Jim Murphy, were all present at the signing ceremony where Brown and Miliband signed the Treaty on the UK's behalf.

Foreign Secretary, David Miliband arrives in Lisbon to sign the EU Reform Treaty (c) Getty Images

Brown was actually late for the ceremony due to his appearance in front of a Commons select committee in the morning before he flew to Portugal in the afternoon.

Key points of the Treaty

The new Treaty makes some key changes to the way the EU is governed, including:

Amending existing Treaties to allow the EU to focus on issues such as energy security; combating organised crime and terrorism; and globalisation
Giving national parliaments a say in making European laws for the first time
Providing greater transparency about what the EU can and cannot do
Reducing the size of the European Commission to ensure it can work more effectively as the EU continues to expand
Introducing a new majority voting system in which a minimum of 55 per cent of member states representing a minimum of 65 per cent of the EU's population must vote in favour for new legislation to be passed.

Find out more about what the EU Reform Treaty will do in the Britain and the EU section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.

Myths about the Treaty

There have been a number of misconceptions in the last few months about what signing the Treaty means for the UK. Contrary to popular belief, the Treaty won't:

Create a European super-state
Mean the UK loses its seat at the United Nations
Take away control of the UK's foreign policy
Force the UK to hand over control of its borders to Brussels

You can find the truth about EU Reform Treaty myths on the FCO website.

An agenda that is good for Britain and good for Europe

In a speech to Parliament about the signing of the Treaty, Brown said:

"It is by putting in place these changes that we can create a truly outward-looking, globally focused European Union that helps deliver prosperity, opportunity and security for all.

"An agenda that is good for Britain and good for Europe - that allows us to benefit from our membership of the European Union and, by working together, to have a greater influence in the world."

Debate continues in the UK

Despite these assurances, debate about the Treaty continues to rage in the UK. Writing in his blog, Miliband said, "Signature of the Treaty is only the start of the ratification process. This one will run and run next year."

A range of comments have been posted in response to Mr Miliband's blog post, some calling for a referendum and others stating their support for the UK's participation in the Treaty. As Miliband said, this debate looks set to continue well into 2008 and possibly beyond.

Related links

More about the UK Government on i-uk