EU:A richly symbolic ceremony underlined the EU's resolve to move forward, writes Political Correspondent Mark Hennessy
The European Union reform treaty will give the 27-strong bloc the tools to tackle global issues, such as climate change, if EU leaders have the will to forge ahead, European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said yesterday.
The ceremony to mark the signing of the treaty in Lisbon was marred slightly by the absence of British prime minister Gordon Brown, who missed the event attended by other EU leaders to appear before a parliamentary committee in London, although he signed the treaty later in the day.
The treaty must be ratified by all member states by January 2009, although Ireland is likely to be the only one to put it to a referendum - following the decision by Danish MPs that Denmark does not require a public vote. Portugal has yet to decide on its plans.
It will be known as the Lisbon Treaty, following a diplomatic spat between the current holders of the EU presidency Portugal and Belgium, over where it should be signed.
The treaty will streamline the EU's decision-making system by using qualified majority voting more often, and allow for the appointment of a full-time head of the European Council and an EU foreign minister, in all but name.
The European Commission will also be able to push for extra co-operation to tackle cross-border crime and terrorism, although Ireland has opted to stay out of these for the moment, along with the UK.
In his address, Mr Barroso said EU political leaders had shown courage in their determination to bring the treaty about: "I call on all of us to show the same determination during the ratification process."
The EU must be "united and strong" and be more capable "of acting in a powerful way" if it is to lead the fight to slow climate change and to make globalisation a benefit for all EU citizens. "After six long years of negotiation we can put institutional issues aside and concentrate all our energy on delivering policy achievements for our citizens.
"I call on the member states to honour their commitments and seek to ratify the treaty in good time for its entry into force on January 1st, 2009.
"Our capacity to act must be matched by a renewed political will and determination to [ deal with issues] requiring political will and great leadership," he said at the ceremony, which was held in a former monastery that hosted Portugal's accession to the EU in 1985.
Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates, opening the ceremony, said: "Europe has finally overcome the political and institutional impasse which has curtailed its ability to act.
"In a world of accelerated change, in a global economy that is ever more demanding, it is absolutely imperative and urgent to adopt institutional reforms that will allow Europe to meet the challenges it is facing," he went on.
The Lisbon treaty is "a treaty for the future", not for the past, but includes the best of the EU's tradition and heritage: "It is a treaty for the construction of a more modern, efficient and democratic Europe."
Mr Brown's absence from the ceremony has raised considerable disquiet over his attitude to the EU, even though he will push for an EU declaration today in favour of responsible globalisation. Although the treaty was signed by the prime minister and foreign minister of every other member state at the ceremony, it was left to the British foreign secretary, David Milliband, to pen his signature alone when his turn came. Mr Brown signed the treaty later in the day.
Rejecting charges that he had snubbed the event, Mr Brown started the day before a House of Commons committee before leaving for Lisbon.
Following the ceremony, Mr Sócrates, accompanied by the Portuguese president, Cavaco Silva, pointedly inquired about Mr Brown's arrival time as he greeted the foreign secretary for lunch - much to the latter's discomfort.
EU leaders now hope that the treaty, if ratified by all, will end the bloc's seemingly endless debate about how it makes decisions, and instead focus its attention more firmly on how to fight climate change, crime and terrorism and respond to globalisation.
All are keen to refocus the EU's energies away from obscure debates over institutional reform and towards challenges that matter to European citizens.
Speaking at the treaty signing, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said a union of 27 is still trying to operate by rules drawn up when it had just nine members. More qualified majority voting would "make things more manageable" and more "straightforward", he said.
The Irish referendum is already the subject of close interest from other member states, who fear a repeat of the chaos that was caused after France and the Netherlands voted against the constitutional treaty, which had been steered to agreement by the Taoiseach.
[ www.reformtreaty.ieOpens in new window ]
A website dedicated to the Lisbon Treaty was launched yesterday by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern. It forms part of the Government's information campaign to explain the contents of the treaty to the public.
"The Reform Treaty is an important achievement for the European Union and its ratification is a priority for the Government," Mr Ahern said.
"I welcome the fact that detailed information on the Reform Treaty is available on the website and I urge everyone to access it.
"It is important to increase awareness and understanding of its contents."
The website address is: www.reformtreaty.ie