ABSTRACT
With the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon (ToL) on 1 December 2009, the EU has commenced a new chapter in its existence. It can be said that under the ToL the EU is more democratic than some of its Member States, provides a very high level of protection of human rights to its citizens, gives its institutions the powers necessary to meet the 21st century challenges speedily and efficiently, dramatically improves the relationship between the Union and its citizens in that it brings the EU closer to ordinary people, and is well equipped to make a real impact on the international scene, i.e. to contribute to peace, security, the sustainable development of the Earth, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights worldwide. The 27 States which are Members of the EU share the common values, which are expressly stated in Article 2 TEU, based on democracy, human rights and principles of social justice. However, there is also much diversity between the Member States, the most obvious being cultural and linguistic. This is reflected in the motto of the EU – “unity in diversity”. Indeed, the EU, with its 494 million inhabitants, the world’s third largest population after China and India, has found a way to accommodate diversity and to use it in a constructive way to achieve unity.
