Following the signature of the Treaty of Lisbon by the 27 Heads of State and Government the Robert Schuman Foundation is offering its readers 10 summary, informative sheets explaining how the European Union will be run with this new treaty. This document is available in PDF format in both French and English.

The 27 Heads of State and Government met on 13th December for the signature of the Lisbon Treaty with European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso and European Parliament President, Hans-Gert Pöttering in attendance. In order to be implemented the treaty has to be ratified by the 27 Member States before January 1st 2009. Only Ireland will ratify the treaty by referendum, the other countries will do so via parliament. So that readers may understand the treaty better the Robert Schuman Foundation has published 10 summary sheets as well as four annexes which focus notably on the articles now governed by the qualified majority and those governed by the ordinary legislative procedure.

The 27 Foreign Affairs Ministers who met on 10th December addressed the issue of the Economic Partnership Agreements with the ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific). They reached a political agreement on a draft regulation on market access. They discussed the situation in the Middle East and recalled the European Union's determination to help in the peace process. Finally they maintained their support to the African Union in the settlement of the Darfur conflict and also recalled the upcoming deployment of a multinational, multidimensional force authorised by resolution 1778 of the UN Security Council.

Jan Mulder's report (ADLE, NL) on the common agricultural policy was adopted on 11th December by 625 votes in favour, 21 against and 13 abstentions. It stipulates that the system to determine the granting of European agricultural aid must be made more flexible and be simplified. Although MEPs support the Commission's work they plead for greater tolerance with regard to minor infractions, the abolition of excessive restrictions and advanced warning of certain inspections.

On 11th December the European Commission publisehd a report which demonstrates that the Lisbon Strategy is contributing to the recent much improved performance of the EU economy. However, Europe will need to press ahead with further economic reforms at both Community and national level in the next cycle of the Lisbon Strategy to help it weather the impacts of global financial turmoil and higher commodity prices. The report sets out a series of new policy initiatives to respond to this challenge and to reinforce Europe's efforts to shape and respond to globalization. It will be submitted to the Spring European Council in March 2008. Recently the Foundation published a "Note" on this subject; the paper written by Yves Bertoncini and Vanessa Wisnia Weill is called "The Lisbon Strategy: a European approach to globalisation." This work is availabe for purchase on the Foundation site on paper or PDF.

On 12th December the European Central Bank published a report which assesses the stability of the euro area financial system both with regard to the role the system plays in facilitating economic processes and to its ability to prevent adverse shocks from having inordinately disruptive impacts. The report highlights an increase in uncertainty about the euro's financial stability perspectives which enhance its vulnerability with regard to existing risks. However economic forecasts are still positive.

Relations between Germany and Poland which had cooled during the Kaczynski government seemed to have taken a new turn after the visit to Berlin on 11th December by new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The latter was welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Horst Köhler. Angela Merkel and Donald Tusk showed that they were willing to work together by developing notably, the German-Polish Youth Programme and the German-Polish Science Foundation, and by discussing even the most sensitive issues such as the gas pipeline from the Baltic and the memorial dedicated to the victims of expulsion in Europe after the Second World War.

The arrival of eight new Member States of Central Europe into the Schengen Area (without border control)on 21st December next will provide the opportunity to celebrate for three days at the various crossign points that are due to disappear. On Thursday 20th December Heads of Government from Austria, Alfred Gusenbauer, and Slovakia, Robert Fico, will saw through a wooden border crossing between Berg/Petrzalka, east of Vienna. This symbolic dismantling will be undertaken in the presence of Robert Weber, Mayor of the Luxembourg town of Schengen, where the first free movement agreement was signed between Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg in 1985.

Whilst the formation of a new Federal Belgian government has been floundering for the last 190 days, outgoing Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt held meetings over the week-end to finalise the constitution of an interim government as requested by King Albert II.

The Danish government announced on 11th December that it would not organise a referendum to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon since this does not imply relinquishing sovereignty. The government agrees on this point with the Social Democrat and Social Liberal opposition which support a parliamentary ratification of the treaty that is due to take place at the Folketing in 2008.

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek visited Finland on 10th—12th December. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the priorities of the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship in 2008. Next year, High Commissioner on National Minorities Vollebaek has planned to prioritise in his work, for instance, Roma affairs and so-called kin states. The task of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is to provide "early warning" and "early action" when tension is building up between ethnic minorities in one of the OSCE participating states.

Non-French European Union citizens living in France can vote in the upcoming local elections that will take place between 9th and 16th March 2008 if they have registered on the electoral rolls. Union citizens living in a Member State of which they are not citizens can vote in that State and are eligible in both the town and European Parliament elections. In order to vote European Union citizens must register at the town hall on complementary lists. Registration has to be completed by 31st December 2007.

After the signature of the Treaty of Lisbon by the 27 Heads of State and Government on 13th December Irish European Affairs Minister, Dick Roche announced that the government would launch its information campaign on the Treaty of Lisbon so that the Irish could understand the importance of this text for the country. Ireland is the only European country to ratify the treaty by referendum.

Latvian President Valdis Zatlers appointed Ivars Godmanis Prime Minister on 14th December. The present Interior Minister who is 56 years old was the first non-communist head of government between 1990-1993. Ivars Godmanis whose appointment still has to be confirmed by parliament has been called on to succeed Aigars Kalvitis, 41, who resigned on 5th December.

Poland and Russia agreed on 12th December to lift the Russian embargo on Polish meat which was impeding major economic negotiations between the European Union and Russia. In force since November 2005 the embargo was blocking negotiations in view of a new partnership and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Russia.

Whilst all the Heads of State and Government met on 13th December in Lisbon to sign the new European treaty together British Prime Minister Gordon Brown only arrived after the official ceremony. This absence was particularly noticed by the media due to British hostility to this treaty. Whilst a referendum on the European Constitution had been promised by the Labour Party this will not take place with regard to the treaty which has been challenged by the Conservative opposition.

On 12th December members of the Lower and Upper Houses of the Swiss Parliament did not re-elect Christoph Blocher, outgoing Justice Minister, as member of the Federal Council preferring another UDC member, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, whose candidature was put forward at the last minute. The latter announced on 13th December that she accepted her appointment to the Federal Council hence confirming the departure of Christoph Blocher. The following will be elected to the Federal Council: Moritz Leuenberger (PS), Pascal Couchepin (PRD), Samuel Schmid (UDC), Micheline Calmy-Rey (PS), Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (UDC), Hans-Rudolf Merz (PRD) and Doris Leuthard (PDC).

Croat President Stipe Mesic appointed Ivo Sanader, head of the outgoing government, Prime Minister on 15th December. It will be his task to lead the country into the European Union during his term in office over the next four years. "I asked Ivo Sanader to form the government since he convinced me that he had the support of over 77 MPs in Parliament out of the 153 elected," he declared.

The TV channel IMEDi, the main opposition media in Georgia which was closed on 7th November after demonstrations re-opened for broadcast on 12th December. The channel, whose closure was criticised by the Georgian opposition and by the West, started broadcasting again, showing the last minutes of airtime before closure five weeks ago.

The first round of the Serb presidential election will take place on 20th January 2008; the second round will take place on 3rd February. The end of Boris Tadic's term in office is planned for 11th July 2009 but a new election is obligatory since a new Constitution was adopted last year. Boris Tadic, head of the Democrat Party announced that he would run likewise Tomislav Nikolic from the Radical Party (SRS). The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) led by Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has still not announced what it intends to do.

On 11th December the Ukrainian Parliament did not agree on the appointment of Yulia Timoshenko as Prime Minister since one majority vote was missing. Only 225 MPs supported her whilst a minimum of 226 votes were required - the government coalition has 227 MPs. Yulia Timoshenko was put forward by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushenko who after this vote again put forward her candidature to Parliament.

On 10th December Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed the candidate he will support in the Russian Presidential election on 2nd March 2008, Mr Dmitri Anatolievich Medvedec, present deputy Prime Minister. Dmitri Medvedev has the support of four parties: United Russia (Putin's party), Fair Russia, the Agrarian Party and Citizens' Strength.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 10th December 94% of enterprises had access to the internet in January 2007 in the European Union, compared with 92% in 2006, and 77% had a broadband connection, compared with 73% in 2006. In 2007 in the European Union the highest proportions of enterprises with internet access were recorded in Finland (99%), Slovakia (98%), Belgium, Denmark, Austria (all 97%) and the Netherlands (97% in 2006). The percentage was less than 90% in only six Member States: Romania (58% in 2006), Bulgaria (75%), Latvia and Hungary (both 86%), Cyprus (88%) and Lithuania (89%). Nearly half of enterprises in the European Union (44%) used external suppliers to fully or partly perform ICT functions during 2006.

The UN has published a 250 page report that assesses the dangers of conflicts caused by climate change. This report draws up a table of the influence of climate change on world geopolitics over the next few years.

Just as the contact group on Kosovo delivered its report to the UN on 10th December the Centre for Applied Political Research in Munich (CAP) has published a study on the European Union's policy with regard to Kosovo.

Sciences Po has published a paper under the management of Jacques Rupnik on "Les Banlieues de l'Europe - les politiques de voisinage de l'Union européenne." This paper looks into the issue of the geographical, institutional and political limits of enlargement.

The museum of modern art in London, the Tate, is presenting a temporary exhibition until 20th January on work by the famous French sculptor : Louise Bourgois. The exhibition displays over 200 works which explore the artist's favourite themes: femininity, sexuality and isolation.