By Toby Helm
Europe
The EU Reform Treaty will be transformed into United Kingdom law by an EU Reform Treaty Bill that is expected to be introduced into Parliament early in the New Year.
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Education | Constitution | Party funding | Transport | PensionsadvertisementThe Treaty will be formally agreed by Gordon Brown and the 26 other EU heads of state and government at a ceremony in Lisbon next month.
After that, the ratification processes will begin in all member states and are expected to be completed well before the end of next year, allowing the Treaty to come into effect across the community.
The Treaty, which will create the new posts of permanent President of the Council of Ministers and a new foreign policy chief with supporting diplomatic service - as well as abolishing vetoes in around 60 policy areas - will come into effect on January 1, 2009.
Its main aims are to make the EU to punch its weight on the world stage and function better with an enlarged membership of 27.
Ministers will set aside between 16 and 20 days of Parliamentary time ...   more »