The Amsterdam Treaty. A comprehensive guide

The Amsterdam Treaty, agreed by the European Union's political leaders on 17 June and signed on 2 October 1997, is the culmination of two years of discussion and negotiation in a conference of Member State government representatives. It has now entered into force after being ratified by the 15 Member States of the European Union under their respective constitutional procedures.

This guide is primarily concerned with the amendments made to the Treaty on European Union (EU Treaty) and the Treaty establishing the European Community (EC Treaty). For the sake of clarity, it has been divided into four major chapters dealing with the main reforms introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam.