Brussels- The Treaty of Lisbon, whose entry into force faces a final obstacle in Vaclav Klaus, the Czech Republic's eurosceptic president, is the fourth major reform of the European Union since its creation by the Treaty of Rome, in 1957. The treaty's two main objectives are to improve the bloc's decision-making process and give it a strong voice on the world stage.
"The EU is entering its adolescence, and the Lisbon Treaty is its first car," is how Hugo Brady, an analyst at the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think tank, put it.
Speeding up decision-making is seen as a necessary step for a bloc that has incorporated 12 new member states since the existing rules were adopted, nine years ago.
This is to be achieved by reducing the number of issues on which member states hold individual vetoes.
The treaty's second aim, to give the EU greater international clout, is achieved by replacing the current six-month rota system for the presidency of the council of EU member states with a permanent Council President.
Such a "Mr Europe" figure would remain in office for two and a half years, renewable once.
Some EU leaders argue that this post should go to a high-profile candidate who is easily recognized by foreign heads of state and government.
Advocates of this view often mention former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in connection with the job.
Others, mostly diplomats from smaller EU countries, hold that Mr Europe's main task should be to mediate between the at times conflicting interests of the EU's 27 member states. Such people have in mind figures like Jan Peter Balkenende, or the Dutch premier's colleague from Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker.
The treaty also aims to simplify the EU's relations with the outside world by merging the post of external affairs commissioner and high representative for foreign affairs, two posts currently held by Benita Ferrero-Waldner of Austria and Javier Solana of Spain, into a single foreign policy High Representative.
The high representative will be in charge of the EU's first diplomatic corps, known officially as European External Action Service.
The most frequent names mentioned in connection with the high representative's post include Sweden's experienced foreign minister, Carl Bildt, his British colleague David Miliband, and the EU's existing enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn of Finland.
The Reform Treaty preserves a complex double majority rule for Council decisions: proposed EU legislation requiring a qualified majority needs to muster the support of 55 per cent of member states and of 65 per cent of the EU's population.
The new voting system will come into f
