The impact of the treaty of Lisbon on decision-making in relation to small states

Abstract

The Treaty of Lisbon changed the way in which the European Union functions. It has changed the status of the European Union, and its impacts will continue to affect both the European Union and its Member States in the coming months, and even years. Small states are the lung of the European Union, in that they provide the Union with both political and economic stability. They of course in tum also benefit from full membership to the European Union as will be seen in this study. Both aspects are taken on board in this study; the Treaty of Lisbon, and the small states of the European Union, and analyses the impacts that they have had on each other. As one can see from the title, the study is very specific. In fact, an in-depth analysis of the impacts that the Treaty of Lisbon is having on decision-making in relation to small states has been made throughout the whole study. The study also provides examples of the previously mentioned impacts and emphasises that to date, not all the impacts have been felt by the European Union.