Treaty of Nice

The treaty, signed in 2000 and ratified in 2001, reconfigures the EU’s structures with an eye toward enlargement. Larger countries, currently holding two seats on the policy-initiating European Commission, will in the future only get one. The treaty also capped the number of seats held by a country in the European Parliament.

Nice also moved the EU towards deciding on more issues with a majority vote, rather than a unanimous vote. Veto rights are still retained by countries on sticky issues like taxation and social policy.

The majority vote is decided by the number of votes each member state has in the European Council, a number that the Nice Treaty increased. Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain get, instead of 10 votes, 29. Spain and Poland, after its entry, will get 27 votes. The Netherlands will get 13; Greece, Belgium and Portugal will get 12; Sweden and Austria 10; Finland, Denmark and Ireland will get 7, and Luxembourg 4. More than 62 votes constitutes a majority. At least half the population of the EU and the member states must be represented to make a majority.