EU institutions

This Note considers the Reflection Group established by the European Council in December 2007 to discuss the future of Europe.

The European Parliament (EP) elections will be held in the UK on 4 June 2009, alongside local elections. This Note looks at the EC Treaty base for the elections, public views and voter turnout, and European political groups and parties.

This Note looks at progress in the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon which was signed in December 2007. It updates Research paper 08/66, "The Treaty of Lisbon: an Uncertain Future" 30 July 2008, in this regard.

This Note looks at the European Commission's latest progress report on EU candidate and potential candidate states.

This Note looks at the discussions in Ireland, the European Union Institutions and other Member States about the prospects for Irish ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon. It considers the declarations on concessions agreed by the European Council on 11-12 December 2008 which are intended to facilitate Irish ratification in 2009.

This Note looks at a few eurosceptic campaigns alleging that the EU will remove England from the map of Europe and abolish the government and parliament at Westminster. It considers the EU instruments linked to such allegations.

This Note considers the symbols traditionally used by the European Union institutions and the recent formal adoption of them by the European Parliament.

On 12 June 2008 the Republic or Ireland voted against ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, throwing the EU into uncertain waters once again. Although most Member States, including the UK, have continued with the ratification processes, the future of the Lisbon Treaty remains uncertain.

The EU Reform Treaty: amendments to the Treaty on European Union. House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/80.

This Paper looks at Part II of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe (the “European Constitution”), which was agreed at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on 18 June 2004 and published in its final, edited form on 13 October 2004.

The treaty establishing a constitution for Europe: part IV and protocols. House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/77.