Treaties
This category examines major international treaties and conventions, their negotiation, ratification, interpretation, and implementation across jurisdictions. Articles cover treaties ranging from the EU founding treaties to human rights conventions and trade agreements.
The 2004 Enlargement: Accession of Ten New Member States
The 2004 enlargement of the European Union, the largest single expansion in the Union’s history, admitted ten new Member States on 1 May 2004: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, …
The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is the EU’s legally binding human rights instrument. Proclaimed in 2000 and given binding legal effect by the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, …
The Euratom Treaty (1957): Nuclear Energy Regulation in the European Union
The Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) , signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 alongside the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, created a specialised …
The European Economic Area Agreement (1992)
The Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) , signed in 1992 and entering into force on 1 January 1994, extends the European Union’s single market to three of the four European Free Trade …
The European Stability Mechanism Treaty: Crisis Resolution and Conditionality
The Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM Treaty) , signed on 2 February 2012 and entering into force on 27 September 2012, created a permanent crisis resolution mechanism for …
The Fiscal Compact: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (2012)
The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG) , commonly known as the Fiscal Compact, was signed on 2 March 2012 and entered into force on 1 January …
The Maastricht Treaty (1992)
The Treaty on European Union, commonly known as the Maastricht Treaty, was signed on 7 February 1992 by the twelve Member States of the European Communities and entered into force on 1 November 1993. …
The Schengen Acquis: Abolition of Internal Borders and Integrated External Border Management
The Schengen acquis encompasses the legal framework for the abolition of internal border controls within the participating European states and the establishment of common rules on external border …
The Single European Act (1986)
The Single European Act (SEA) , signed in February 1986 and entering into force on 1 July 1987, was the first major revision of the Treaty of Rome. It introduced significant institutional reforms, …
The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997)
The Treaty of Amsterdam, signed on 2 October 1997 and entering into force on 1 May 1999, was the third major revision of the EU’s founding Treaties. Amsterdam consolidated earlier reforms, …
The Treaty of Lisbon (2007)
The Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007, entered into force on 1 December 2009. It amended the Maastricht Treaty and the Treaty of Rome without replacing them, providing the European Union …
The Treaty of Nice (2001)
The Treaty of Nice, signed on 26 February 2001 and entering into force on 1 February 2003, was the fourth major revision of the EU Treaties. Its primary purpose was to prepare the European Union for …
The Treaty of Rome (1957)
The Treaty of Rome, formally the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community (TEEC), was signed on 25 March 1957 by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. It …