Experts discuss practical implementation aspects of Lisbon Treaty

On 7 May in Riga, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information Exchange unit) of the European Commission's Directorate General for Enlargement held a seminar for high level experts on practical aspects of the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon. The seminar was attended by representatives from public administration institutions, national parliaments and non-governmental organisations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as academics, students and other interested parties.

At the seminar, experts invited by the European Commission presented their analyses of the Treaty of Lisbon. Dr Klemens H. Fischer from the Permanent Representation of Austria to the European Union highlighted the impact of changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty on the development of EU processes in general. Dr Andreas Maurer from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs analysed the implications of the Treaty of Lisbon for the interinstitutional balance within the EU, but Dr Wolfgang Heusel, Director of Academy of European Law, informed about the Treaty's implications for the EU in the sphere of freedom, security and justice. 

Experts from the Baltic states continued with an in-depth discussion on each of the aforementioned subjects, covering such aspects as the increase in the significance of national parliaments, the abolition of the pillar structure and other amendments to the EU decision-making procedures, as well as the opportunities for civil society participation, and other topics.

The event held in Riga was the first international high-level expert discussion about the Treaty of Lisbon in the Baltic states. The seminar participants unanimously acknowledged the particular significance of the debates on practical aspects of the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon, which are presently taking place in the European Council and in member states. The outcome of these discussions could greatly influence the successful practical implementation of the opportunities offered by the Treaty.

The ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon in Latvia and Lithuania had been envisaged for 8 May. In Estonia the Treaty of Lisbon is to be ratified within a month.

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