Shaping the EU
as we know it
Scroll down to read more on the Lisbon Treaty and how it changed the EU as we know it today
On 1 December 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force.
It was signed two years earlier by the leaders of the member states of the European Union.
Many of the changes to the EU over the past years have their roots in the Lisbon Treaty. In particular, the roles of the European Council and the Council of the EU were transformed, bringing concrete benefits to the work of the Union and to its citizens.
Lisbon: from paper to reality
The room is kept at 16°C. At this temperature, historical documents in the archive of the Council of the European Union are preserved from decay. The Lisbon Treaty itself is stored in a long blue tin box, about 70 cm long. It is full. The box accommodates the text in 24 official languages of the Union.
It is treated with great care even though it is a mere copy of the original – with its national seals and signatures – which has its home in Rome. Just as its predecessors over the years, the Treaty of Lisbon is not an entirely new treaty – it adds to the existing architecture of the European Union. And as such, it is archived with the original Treaty of Rome.
Over four decades, five EU treaties have added their innovations and changes to the way the EU works. Lisbon is the first treaty signed after the 2004 and 2007 enlargements and marks a further effort to make the Union both stronger and more effective.
Signature of EU treaties
What did Lisbon change?
Lisbon marked the end of the European Community: throughout the treaties, the word Community was replaced for all uses by the word Union. This went together with a new legal personality for the European Union, which also enabled it to accede as a signatory to international agreements.
For example, both the EU and its member states are individually signatories of the Paris Agreement tackling climate change. Combating climate change and supporting sustainable development in relations with third countries are indeed mentioned as specific goals in the treaty.
In addition, the treaty introduced for the first time a procedure for a member state to leave the EU – the now well-known Article 50, which governed the process of the UK's withdrawal (Brexit).
Let’s take a look at five of the changes that have most affected the work of the European Council and the Council of the EU:
- the European Council became an EU institution
- there was a new role – President of the European Council
- law-making was changed to become more efficient, democratic and transparent
- the role of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy was reformed
- the Charter of Fundamental Rights became legally binding
What has been the impact of these changes? How have these innovations developed from the letter of the treaty to the reality of political life? The years since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty has been an intense period for Europe.
It has been more than a decade of shocks and transformations which have impacted the EU and where the EU has influenced and shaped the world around us.
Political direction
The European Council
Over the past years, the European Council has been in the front line dealing with some of the most challenging times the EU has ever had to face, including the financial crisis, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the migration crisis, terrorist acts, Brexit and the global COVID-19 pandemic.
With the Lisbon Treaty, this forum, which brings together heads of state or government of all member states, became a fully-fledged EU institution – the seventh. Previously, the European Council had been an informal body: the treaty gave it formal recognition while outlining its role, composition, and how it makes decisions.
Although the European Council became a separate institution of the EU, it does not have its own administration. The administrative support for both the European Council and its President is provided by the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.
The role of the European Council
Its mandate is to define the EU's general political direction and priorities – essentially setting its policy agenda – but not to negotiate or adopt laws. It also has a role in defining the Union's strategic guidelines in the area of common foreign and security policy and in the area of freedom, security and justice.
In this way, the European Council guides the EU's policy agenda.
On 27 June 2024, EU leaders adopted the strategic agenda, which sets the EU's priorities and strategic orientation for the period 2024-2029. As such, it steers the work of the EU institutions.
The European Council strives to reach its decisions by consensus, in other words, with the agreement of all members.
However, the treaty also states that a member's abstention does not prevent the European Council from taking a decision that requires unanimity. This means that as long as no member state opposes it, and that two-thirds of the members are present, the European Council can take a decision.
The European Council also:
- elects its own President for a two-and-a-half year term, renewable once
- appoints the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (on a five-year mandate)
- nominates the President of the Commission, taking into account the European Parliament elections (on a five-year mandate)
In practice
The European Council at work: 2012 saving the euro
In 2012, the Council was tested by fire – an intense period when the euro came under pressure. As then President, Herman Van Rompuy, said: ‘The very existence of the euro area was in jeopardy. And if the euro area had broken to pieces, the European Union would also have been in serious danger.’
Herman Van Rompuy on saving the euro
Herman Van Rompuy on saving the euro
Brexit
In June 2016, the British people voted to leave the EU in a referendum. Following extensive negotiations on the UK's withdrawal (Brexit) between 2017 and 2019, the UK formally left the EU at midnight on 31 January 2020. The following day, the EU-UK withdrawal agreement came into force.
Throughout the negotiations and under the guidance of the European Council, the EU has consistently stood by its determination to be united, transparent in its position and prepared for the future.
The EU-UK relationship is governed by a set of agreements that ensure respect for citizens’ rights, fair competition and continued cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
COVID-19 pandemic
In 2020, the EU – and the rest of the world – was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the initial outbreak, the EU responded in a swift manner to reduce infections and mitigate the wider impacts of the pandemic.
EU leaders met regularly online to coordinate measures and promote research on safe and effective vaccines. Thanks to an EU-wide vaccine strategy, vaccines were made available in December 2020 and distributed equitably among EU countries. By February 2022, over 80% of the EU’s adult population was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The EU also took decisive action to support jobs, businesses and the economy. In 2020, EU leaders agreed a €750 billion recovery plan to address the economic and social impacts of the pandemic and support EU countries in their recovery.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
Following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression in February 2022, EU countries have been united in their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.
In this regard, they have taken unprecedented measures both against Russia and in support of Ukraine. They have adopted several sanctions packages against Russia, which aim to weaken Russia’s economic base, deprive it of critical technologies and markets, and significantly curtail its ability to wage war.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU and its member states have been steadfast in their solidarity with Ukraine and its people.
The war has created uncertainty about the security of energy supply and brought about a global food crisis. In response, EU countries have been working together to phase out energy dependency on Russia and have helped provide emergency relief to countries affected by global food insecurity.
Co-ordination
Clearer leadership
One of the most important innovations of the Lisbon Treaty is the creation of the post of President of the European Council.
Previously, the head of the European Council was an unofficial position which was held by the head of state or government of the member state holding the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
But with the Lisbon Treaty, and the formalisation of the European Council, the President became a key institutional figure. With a term of two-and-a-half years, which is renewable once, their task is to ensure the preparation, continuity and cohesion of the work of the European Council, and to represent the European Union externally.
The Presidents
This new role was first embodied and interpreted by Herman Van Rompuy who presided over the creation of the office and its first actions. In particular, he coordinated the EU’s response following the crisis of the euro.
Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk became the second president in 2014 and further developed the role. With strong media attention on the migration crisis, the debt crisis, the destabilisation of Ukraine by Russia and Brexit, he raised the visibility of the function.
The third President was former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel. During his tenure, he co-ordinated the European Council's response to the COVID-19 crisis and to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. He also actively promoted a renewed EU-Africa partnership, while working to strengthen the EU's position in the world.
The current President is former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa. Since the start of his term of office on 1 December 2024, he has engaged closely with partners worldwide to promote peace, security and a fair, rules-based international order.
Building trust is in my view perhaps the most important task of a European Council President. Building trust among leaders, among institutions, among countries: it is the basis for political decision-making. Especially when decisions are difficult and when they have to be taken by consensus, as is normally the case in the European Council.
It may sound banal but, when I am asked what my term has been about, I answer without hesitation: 'Unity' – a leitmotif, a task, almost my obsession, from the very beginning. In my office of the President of the European Council, I keep a self-made poster with the inscription 'It's the unity, stupid'. I made it to always remember what is most important. And I will leave it there, just in case.
The last 5 years have been a truly unique period in our Union’s history, defined by the Covid pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine. During this tumultuous time, the European Council has served as the control tower, giving strategic direction to our Union. My role as President has been the guardian of our unity. This unity makes us stronger at home and more influential in the world.
The truth is that Europe's unity in diversity is remarkable, rooted in the strength of our common and steadfast will. As President, I will make it my every day mission to build this unity and cherish our natural diversity.
In practice
Protecting the unity of the eurozone
The President does not hold a national office – this means that the President is a neutral figure who can facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council. This role has been essential, for example, in negotiations on the financial assistance to Greece.
In particular in 2015, the situation was close to stalemate. It took EU leaders 17 hours of negotiations and strong leadership to achieve a breakthrough. Donald Tusk revisited that night in his legacy speech:
The President, speaking with one voice
The President ensures the preparation and continuity of the work of heads of state or government. He also reports on European Council meetings and holds press conferences which are followed by journalists across the world.
This role puts the President centre-stage in building interest, awareness and understanding of the work of the EU.
Decision-making
Better procedures
The Lisbon Treaty marked a significant modernisation in the procedures and democratic practices of the EU.
It strengthened the EU's principles of transparency and public access to information, for example specifying that ministers at the Council of the EU legislate in public and so do members of the European Parliament – these meetings are now streamed live. There was also a clear effort to simplify EU law-making.
The co-decision procedure created by the Maastricht Treaty, which puts the Council of the EU and the European Parliament on an equal footing, became the norm. Its new name – the ordinary legislative procedure – reflects this status.
The ordinary legislative procedure became the default decision-making procedure for adopting legislation, with simplified voting rules based on qualified majority.
The EU's legislative procedure
The EU's legislative procedure
It now covers the majority of the EU's areas of competence, including trade, agriculture, fisheries, transport, structural funds, budget and justice and home affairs.
The treaty also strengthened the notion of subsidiarity – the principle that decisions should be taken at as local a level as possible. In practice this has meant that national parliaments are consulted in the EU decision-making process.
In practice
Legislators at work: the future of EU agriculture
The common agricultural policy (CAP) is the oldest common policy of the EU. Over time, it has undergone a number of reforms to adjust the rules to new needs and challenges. Since the Lisbon Treaty came into force, these reforms have followed the ordinary legislative procedure.
The reformed common agricultural policy (CAP) for 2023-2027 aims to make farming in the EU fairer, greener and more results-driven. The European Commission has presented its proposals for the post-2027 CAP to the Council and negotiations are ongoing.
The future common agricultural policy will be simpler, fairer and greener
The future common agricultural policy will be simpler, fairer and greener
Global role
The EU on the world stage
With the Lisbon Treaty, the EU took concrete steps to make its foreign and security policy more consistent and coherent.
Alongside the external representation role of the President of the European Council, the treaty reformed the position of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and established a brand new European External Action Service (EEAS) to support the office.
The role, as reinforced by the Lisbon Treaty, builds a bridge across institutions: the High Representative is both chair of the Foreign Affairs Council and Vice-President of the European Commission.
The EEAS became operational on 1 December 2010, the day of the first anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty. Based in Brussels, but relying on an extensive network of EU diplomatic presence worldwide, the EEAS brings together European civil servants, diplomats from the foreign services of the EU member states and local staff in countries around the world.
Catherine Ashton (left) was appointed as the EU’s first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in November 2009, followed by Federica Mogherini (right) in 2014 and Josep Borrell in 2019. Kaja Kallas became the fourth High Representative on 1 December 2024.
The EU's voice at the UN General Assembly
On 3 May 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution granting the EU 'super observer' status. This is a direct effect of the Lisbon Treaty's provisions on external representation of the Union.
Since then, representatives of the EU have regularly addressed UNGA. The latest is President Costa’s address on 25 September 2025, in which he stressed that the EU will remain a steadfast defender of multilateralism, the rules-based international order and the UN Charter.
António Costa addresses the United Nations, 2025
In practice
Working for peace
Peace is at the heart of the European project – its foundation came in the immediate aftermath of WWII and so it has naturally been a champion for international understanding. This was recognised in 2012 when the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
One area where this role has been seen in recent years is the EU's support to the Colombian peace process. In 2016, the Colombian government and communist guerrilla FARC signed a historical peace agreement, bringing the country closer to ending a more than 50-year-long civil war.
The EU's support found expression in the appointment of an EU Special Envoy for the Peace Process as well as the launching of a trust fund for peace in Colombia, among other cooperation projects for peace. The European Union is also the largest foreign investor in Colombia, with a special focus on sustainable development in the areas that were most hit by the conflict.
Standing up to terror
13 November 2015, Paris. The single deadliest terrorist attack in French history took place on a festive Friday night, claiming 138 lives and injuring another 413 people. This, only months after 12 lives were claimed in a shooting at the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
In this dark moment for France and for Europe, the French turned to the EU for support, invoking an aid and assistance clause which was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty.
Fighting terrorism a top priority for the EU
Fighting terrorism a top priority for the EU
Citizens' rights
At the heart of new laws
The Lisbon Treaty gave a new status to the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights, putting it at the same level of authority as a treaty. Solemnly proclaimed on 7 December 2000, the Charter became legally binding in December 2009.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights contains 50 political, social, and economic rights, which are divided under six headings, namely:
There are also specific treaty items which qualify as fundamental rights, such as the right to equal pay.
The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights - What's in it for me?
The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights - What's in it for me?
The Charter has made a fundamental rights check an integral part of EU law-making – it's now a part of the impact assessment which the European Commission carries out at the earliest stage when laws are proposed. The Charter applies to the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union and to its member states when implementing European Union law.
In practice
Digital rights
As many aspects of our lives become digital in one way or another, an area which has received a lot of public interest is the protection of personal data.
The Charter enshrines the right to privacy or private life and recognises it as a human right. It also contains an explicit right to the protection of personal data. This is the foundation of the well-known General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which extended the rights of citizens on all data others may hold about them. It applies since 25 May 2018.
As the Union and Member States, we will combine our strengths and resources to face the coming years with unity and resolve. We will address the aspirations of our citizens.
Interested in further reading?
If you are passionate about the past and present of the making of the European Union, more reading is only a few clicks away. Discover:
- an interactive story on the Maastricht Treaty
- the consolidated version of the Lisbon Treaty (Publications Office)
- the reading suggestions of the library of the Council of the European Union
Credits
Vasco Da Gama Bridge, Lisbon: Adobe Stock, used under licence to Harpoon Productions
People on pedestrian crossing: Jacek Dylag on Unsplash
All other photographs copyright European Union
Last updated 28 November 2025
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