European Union Treaties/Agreements
Treaties or agreements between the countries under European Union facilitate smooth trade, migration, and other necessary actions to maintain a stable economy. Some of the few treaties signed by the countries of EU are:
EEA (European Economic Area):
EEA agreement was signed to maintain a healthy economic and trade relationship among 30 countries. It came into existence from 1st January, 1994 and allows all the countries to trade in a single market known as “internal market”.
The Agreement promises equal terms for competition, and same rights to participate in the internal market for citizens and traders in the EEA. The countries under EEA agreement should co-operate each other in research and development, social policy, education, environment, tourism, consumer protection and culture.
EEA includes the following countries:
| Austria | Belgium | Cyprus |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia |
| Finland | France | Germany |
| Greece | Hungary | Iceland |
| Irish Republic | Italy | Latvia |
| Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Netherlands | Norway |
| Poland | Portugal | Slovakia |
| Slovenia | Spain | Sweden |
| United Kingdom | -- | -- |
EEA Agreement allows the following among the partner countries:
• Free movement of goods
• Free movement of persons
• Free movement of services
• Free movement of capital
• Ensuring undistorted competition among fellow countries
• Partnerships between countries for research and development, education, society and environment.
Treaty of Lisbon:
Treaty of Lisbon was signed in 2009 to make the EU more democratic and efficiently address global problems, such as climate change, globalization, demographic shifts and requirement for sustainable energy resources.
27 countries of European Union signed the Treaty including
| Austria | Belgium | Bulgaria |
| Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark |
| Estonia | Finland | France |
| Germany | Greece | Hungary |
| Ireland | Italy | Latvia |
| Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta |
| Netherlands | Poland | Portugal |
| Romania | Slovakia | Spain |
| United Kingdom | Sweden | Slovenia |
Treaty harnesses Europe's financial, political and diplomatic strengths and humanitarian to promote European interests and values across the world, while honouring the interests of the Member States in Foreign Affairs.
Significant changes to the countries of European Union are:
• More power for the European Parliament
• Change of voting procedures in the Council
• Citizens' Initiative
• Permanent president of the European Council
• A new High Representative for Foreign Affairs
• A new EU diplomatic service
