Treaty of Amsterdam

The glossary is being updated given the recent signing of the Treaty of Lisbon.

The Treaty of Amsterdam is the result of the Intergovernmental Conference launched at the Turin European Council on 29 March 1996. It was adopted at the Amsterdam European Council on 16 and 17 June 1997 and signed on 2 October 1997 by the Foreign Ministers of the fifteen Member States. It entered into force on 1 May 1999 (the first day of the second month following ratification by the last Member State) after ratification by all the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.

From the legal point of view, the Treaty amends certain provisions of the EU Treaty, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts, creating a Community employment policy, transferring to the Communities some of the areas in the field of justice and home affairs (JHA), reforming the common foreign and security policy (CFSP), extending qualified-majority voting and enabling closer cooperation between Member States. It does not replace the other Treaties; rather, it stands alongside them.

See:

• Amsterdam Treaty: a Comprehensive Guide
• Treaties
• Treaty of Nice