Dec. 1, the solemn ceremony of Lisbon Treaty coming into force will be held in Portugal capital.

EU's first permanent president, Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy and EU high representative for International affairs Catherine Ashton – hold the posts that were first introduced under Lisbon Treaty. Among high ranking guests are Prime Minister of Chairing Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt, EC President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament Chairman Jerzy Buzek. The treaty was signed by EU member states in December 2008 in Lisbon. The ratification was officially completed this November after the document was lodged to Italian Foreign Ministry, being a depositary of the treaty.

Lisbon treaty stipulates a number of institutional reforms, such as a provision on possible withdrawal of a state from EC, elimination of possibility of veto by one country etc. Besides, after treaty comes into effect, most issues in EC will be solved by the qualified majority, not through consensus.