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EUROPA - Gateway to the European Union
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Institutional Reform of the European Union
Institutional Reform of the European Union
This website offers information on the latest developments of the European Union institutional reform. There are several stages which have been of particular significance: the Treaty of Nice (which came into force on 1 February 2003), the European Convention (which finished in July 2003), the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) 2003/2004 (October 2003–June 2004) and the European Constitution (signed in October 2004). Following the rejection of the European Constitution by France and the Netherlands in 2005 and a two year period of reflection, on the 23rd of June 2007 the EU leaders agreed 
on a detailed mandate for a new Intergovernmental Conference. The task of this Intergovernmental Conference was to draw up a Reform Treaty by the end of 2007.
On the 19th of October 2007, the informal European Council in Lisbon adopted the final text of the Treaty, as drawn up by the IGC. The Heads of State and Government of the 27 Member States of the European Union signed the Treaty of Lisbon on the 13th of December 2007.
For an overview of all the stages which have resulted in this new Treaty you can also consult the detailed calendar of the reform.
