Ireland has voted 'Yes' in the second referendum the country has held on the Lisbon Treaty.

Below, we summarise the key events in the process of institutional reform in the EU, which culminate in the Lisbon Treaty.

2001: The Treaty of Nice
This Treaty set out institutional changes to the EU.
These changes were required to ready the EU for
enlargement to the East.

More on the Treaty of Nice

May 2004: The biggest single enlargement of the EU
10 new countries join the EU in its single biggest enlargement.
There are now 25 countries in the EU.
Countries to join the EU in 2004 were: Malta, Cyprus, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hugary and Poland.

More on enlargement of the EU

October 2004: The Constitutional Treaty
The Constitutional Treaty aimed to make the enlarged EU more effective and accountable. It aimed to replace all existing Treaties with a single 'Constitutional' Structure. This Treaty, however, was never implemented.

More on the Constitutional Treaty.

2005: Referenda and Rejection
The French and Dutch electorate reject the Constitutional Treaty in successive referenda.

2006: A 'Period of reflection'
After the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty by the French and Dutch voters the EU enters what has been called the 'period of reflection'. This period was intended to allow EU leaders to consider other ways to re-engage Citizens with the future of Europe. The period of reflection ended in January 2007.

December 2006: UK government makes its approach known
The UK governement set out its approach towards any new treaty to Parliament.

January 2996 to January 2007: A 'Reform Treaty'
During its presidency of the EU, Germany presents detailed proposals for a new 'Reform Treaty' (later called the Lisbon Treaty after the city in which it was signed). All EU leaders agree that 'the Constitutional concept....is abandoned'. The 'period of reflection' is over and the Lisbon Treaty is signed off by EU leaders.

January 2007: Further enlargement
Romania and Bulgaria join the EU.

June 2008: the EU (Amendment) Act 2008 passes in the UK
After 25 days of debate, the UK Parliament passes the EU(Amendment) Act.
This Act implements the Treaty in UK law.

 

June 2008: A different turn of events in Ireland
Ireland holds a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, and a 54% majority reject the Treaty.

Ireland is the only country to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Ireland has had a referendum on every EU Treaty following a supreme court ruling in 1987.

July 2008: Treaty ratified in the UK
The UK ratified the Lisbon Treaty

October 2009: Second Referendum in Ireland
The Lisbon Treaty has now been ratified by 24 out of 27 EU countries.
Of the remaining 3, the Irish held a second referendum on the Treaty on the 2nd October 2009, and on the 3rd October 2009 it was announced that Ireland had, this second time around, voted 'Yes' to the Treaty.

With the Treaty now approved in Ireland, attention will increasingly be focused on the Czech Republic and Poland, whose Parliaments have approved the Treaty, but whose Presidents have yet to sign it.