New values, principles, objectives and competences.
• The treaty gives legal effect to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which sets out the whole range of civil, political, economic and social rights of European citizens and all persons resident in the EU.
• The EU gets for the first time a right to propose legislation in the areas of intellectual property rights; space policy; energy; tourism; sport; civil protection; and administrative co-operation.
• The twin challenges of climate change and energy security are both prioritised.
• The Union gets a "single legal personality", clarifying its ability to sign international treaties and abolishing the existing distinction between the European Community and European Union.
• There is a simplified revision procedure, enabling EU leaders to amend articles dealing with internal policies of the Union on the basis of a unanimous vote. They can also change the decision-making procedure in areas (apart from defence) on the basis of a unanimous vote but they cannot vote to extend the competences of the EU.
• The EU could not agree to include a reference to God in the treaty but there is a reference to "Europe's cultural, religious and humanist inheritance". The treaty also says that the Union should respect the status of churches and religious organisations under national law.
• Lisbon does not change the Irish protocol in the constitution, originally adopted with the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, which confirms that nothing in the treaties shall affect the application in Ireland of the Constitution's anti-abortion provisions.
• A mechanism is introduced to enable EU states to withdraw from the Union.