EU agrees new 'Lisbon Treaty'
19.10.2007 - 06:49 CET
By Renata Goldirova
EUOBSERVER / LISBON – The European Union has overnight agreed the precise text of its new 'Lisbon Treaty' to be formally signed off on 13 December in the Portuguese capital. At around 02:00 local time on Friday morning - following shorter-than-usual discussions - Portuguese prime minister Jose Socrates announced that a deal has been struck, describing it as "victory for Europe".
"With this agreement we have managed to get out of stalemate...we will be ready to tackle the world's challenges", Mr Socrates said. European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso also branded the accord as "historic", providing the EU with the "capacity to act". The decision effectively ends a six-year long period of trying to internally reform.
"With this agreement we have managed to get out of stalemate...we will be ready to tackle the world's challenges", Mr Socrates said. European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso also branded the accord as "historic", providing the EU with the "capacity to act". The decision effectively ends a six-year long period of trying to internally reform.
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