European leaders signed the Treaty of Lisbon on 13 December 2007 in order to respond to existing political, economic and social changes with new rules. The main improvements brought about by the treaty include: more efficient decision-making processes, more democracy through a greater role for the European Parliament and national parliaments and more coherence externally. It provides the EU with modern institutions and optimised working methods to tackle today's challenges in today's world both efficiently and effectively.

This treaty is the result of negotiations between EU member countries in an intergovernmental conference, in which the Commission and Parliament were also involved. It was ratified by each of the EU's 27 members.

The Treaty entered into force on 1 December 2009, in accordance with its Article 6.

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Contact

• European Parliament

  Committee on constitutional affairs press officer
  Federico DE GIROLAMO
  Tel: +32 (0)2 283 13 89 / +33 (0)388 17 28 50
  GSM: +32 (0)498 98 35 91
  constit-press@europarl.europa.eu

• Council of the European Union

  François HEAD
  General Affairs and External Relations; Economic and Financial Affairs
  Tel: +32 (0)2 281 60 83
  GSM: +32 (0)475 95 38 07
  Fax: +32 (0)2 281 80 26
  francois.head@consilium.europa.eu

• European Commission

  Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration

  Spokesperson
  Michael MANN
  Tel: +32 (0)2 299 97 80
  GSM: +32 (0)498 99 97 80
  Fax: +32 (0)2 296 06 25
  michael.mann@ec.europa.eu

  Press officer
  Marilyn CARRUTHERS
  Tel: +32 (0)2 299 94 51
  GSM: +32 (0)498 999 451
  Fax: +32 (0)2 296 06 25
  marilyn.carruthers@ec.europa.eu