[found on the 'net]
BBC Last Updated: Thursday, 13 December 2007, 17:19 GMT
EU LEADERS SIGN LANDMARK TREATY
The treaty was signed at Lisbon's historic Jeronimos monastery
EU leaders have signed a treaty in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, that
is expected to greatly alter the way the 27-nation body operates.
The treaty creates an EU president and a more powerful foreign policy chief.
The document, signed at a ceremony at the city's historic Jeronimos
Monastery, also scraps veto powers in many policy areas.
It is a replacement for the EU constitution, which was abandoned
following French and Dutch opposition.
EU leaders insist that the two texts are in no way equivalent.
But the Lisbon treaty incorporates some of the draft constitution's key
reforms, and several governments face domestic pressure over the document.
KEY LISBON TREATY REFORMS
Creates new European Council president
New foreign policy supremo to increase EU profile
Commissioners reduced from 27 to 18
Removes national vetoes in around 50 policy areas
Voting weights between member states redistributed
No reference to EU symbols such as the flag and anthem
Treaty faces referendum in Ireland and must be ratified by all other EU
parliaments
Q&A: Lisbon Treaty
Send us your comments
Mark Mardell's Euroblog
In a speech before the signing, European Commission President Jose
Manuel Barroso called on European leaders to use the treaty to make
freedom, prosperity and solidarity an everyday reality for all European
citizens.
"From this old continent, a new Europe is born," he said.
Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, whose country holds the
rotating EU presidency, said the treaty would create a more modern,
efficient and democratic union.
"The world needs a stronger Europe," he said.
The leaders signed the treaty, translated into the EU's 23 official
languages, using specially engraved silver fountain pens as a choir sang
Beethoven's Ode to Joy.
UK signing
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown signed the treaty later in the day after
missing the ceremony, citing a prior engagement in the British parliament.
UK PM signing Treaty of Lisbon, 13 Dec 2007
Mr Brown signed the treaty hours after fellow EU leaders
Foreign Secretary David Miliband attended the signing ceremony.
The UK's opposition Conservatives accused Mr Brown of "not having the
guts" to sign the treaty, which is politically controversial in Britain,
in public.
Having started this year with a celebration of its 50th birthday, the EU
hopes the signing of the Lisbon treaty will end the serious mid-life
crisis brought about by the death of the constitution, the BBC's Oana
Lungescu reports.
There will be a lot of relief, said a senior European diplomat, but also
some apprehension about what happens next.
Ireland is the only country planning to hold a referendum, but most
voters there seem either undecided or indifferent.
Parliaments in Britain, the Netherlands and Denmark are also expected to
give a turbulent reception to the 250-page text.
Jeronimos monastery
Symbol of Portuguese history
However, Germany, France and Poland have pledged to be among the first
to ratify it, so that the new reforms can come into force in 2009 as
planned.
The treaty is a slimmed-down version of the European constitution, with
a more modest name and without any reference to EU symbols such as the
flag and anthem.
It is meant to ease decision-making, by scrapping national vetoes in
some 50 policy areas, including sensitive ones such as police and
judicial co-operation.
There will also be a foreign policy chief, controlling a big budget and
thousands of diplomats and officials, and a permanent EU president
appointed for up to five years.
But some already fear that instead of giving Europe a strong single
voice in the world, the new posts will only generate more rivalry, our
correspondent adds.
[endit]
From the time that Modern Rome has one head (King, Prime Minister or
President) unlit the return of the Lord and end of this world will be
about seven years.
From the time the Leader of the Modern Roman Empire (EU) demands to be
worshiped as "God" until the return of the Lord and end of this world
will be about 3 1/2 years.
http://www.thelittlebookopened.org/main/about/signs.html
Glenn
His witness
--
www.thelittlebookopened.org [Key words:] "The Little Book";
Glenn McClary, servitum, gaedhealic, oldwetdog
.
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