Fireworks erupted at the end of a ceremony in Lisbon on December 1 to mark the inauguration of the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty.
The treaty, designed to ensure the EU has a more influential say in world affairs, took effect after years of discussions within the 27-nation union, during a ceremony attended by top European officials at the Torre de Belém.
Portugal’s Prime Minister José Sócrates said that the treaty represented a new beginning with laws that are transparent and lead to efficient decisions. He added that Europe will be more apt and simultaneously more responsible, as well as better prepared against the financial and economic crisis.
