유럽연합(European Union: EU)은 2007년 12월 리스본 유럽이사회에서 기존 제 조약들을 개정하는 ‘리스본조약’((Treaty of Lisbon, 일명 “개정조약”)을 체결함으로써 새로운 전기를 맞고 있다. 즉 프랑스와 네덜란드의 국민투표에서 유럽연합조약(Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe)이 부결된 후 EU의 미래는 불확실성 속에 놓이게 되었는데, 리스본조약이 체결되어 유럽연합조약을 대체할 수 있게 됨에 따라 유럽통합은 가일층 진전될 수 있었다.이러한 리스본조약의 체결은 50여년의 유럽통합 과정에서 축적된 ‘공동체적 경험’을 효율적으로 운영하고, 27개 회원국으로 확대된 유럽연합(EU)의 민주성과 투명성을 더욱 강화해야 한다는 필요성에 따른 것이다. 즉 EU의 근간을 이루던 모든 조약들을 개정하여 단순화시키고, EU의 의사결정과정과 운영에 대해 제기되었던 민주성과 투명성을 더욱 제고한다는 것이다.본 논문은 우선 리스본조약이 제정될 수 있었던 배경과 주어진 주요 쟁점들을 논하고자 한다. 이를 위해 유럽헌법조약의 체결에서부터 리스본조약 체결까지의 발전과정과 회원국간의 견해 차이로 인해 제기되었던 주요 쟁점들을 분석하고자 한다. 그리고, 리스본조약에 따른 제도적 개혁 내용을 분석하면서 유럽헌법조약에서의 내용에 비추어 검토하고자 한다. 끝으로, 리스본조약이 제정됨으로써 기대되는 성과와 정치적 함의를 살펴보고자 한다.

Since the European Council of Lisbon signed the treaty of Lisbon, which revised the existing treaties, the European Union has gained a new momentum. The rejection by the Netherlands and France to the ratification of the “Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe” by each country's respective referendum made the EU's future uncertain. So the treaty of Lisbon, which replaced the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe gave a promising future to the European Integration. The treaty of Lisbon was the result of two major causations; one, to take advantage of 50 years of European integration process, and two, to improve the the transparency and democracy of the EU, which was enlarged to 27 member countries. In other words, all treaties which contributed to the establishment of the EU were revised to improve the transparency and democracy of the EU. The purpose of this paper is to examine the background of emergence of the treaty of Lisbon and to analyze several important issues related to the birth of the treaty of Lisbon. Finally, the potential future achivements and political implications from signing the treaty of Lisbon will be examined.

Since the European Council of Lisbon signed the treaty of Lisbon, which revised the existing treaties, the European Union has gained a new momentum. The rejection by the Netherlands and France to the ratification of the “Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe” by each country's respective referendum made the EU's future uncertain. So the treaty of Lisbon, which replaced the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe gave a promising future to the European Integration. The treaty of Lisbon was the result of two major causations; one, to take advantage of 50 years of European integration process, and two, to improve the the transparency and democracy of the EU, which was enlarged to 27 member countries. In other words, all treaties which contributed to the establishment of the EU were revised to improve the transparency and democracy of the EU. The purpose of this paper is to examine the background of emergence of the treaty of Lisbon and to analyze several important issues related to the birth of the treaty of Lisbon. Finally, the potential future achivements and political implications from signing the treaty of Lisbon will be examined.

European Union, Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, Treaty of Lisbon, Institutional Reform, Reform Treaty