By BARRY HATTON – 2 days ago
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — European Union leaders signed a new treaty
on Thursday that would give the 27-nation bloc a long-term president
and streamline its decision-making process.
The treaty changes
the way the bloc is run, with member states surrendering more powers to
centralized rule in Brussels, Belgium after years of resisting
encroachment on their sovereign powers. The intention is to enable a
swifter response to global issues.
Among the treaty's provisions
is the appointment of an EU president who can speak in the bloc's name,
which should end the old American gripe of "who do you call when you
want to speak to Europe?"
The so-called Lisbon Treaty, said by
leaders to be a milestone in the history of the post-World War II bloc,
will come into force after it is ratified by all member states. The aim
is to complete that process by 2009.
Providing for a new European
boss who will serve a five-year term will allow the EU to scrap the
current and often confusing system in which EU countries take turns at
holding the presidency for six months at a time.
MORE