Lisbon Treaty
(Reform Treaty) An EU treaty signed by the heads of government of the member states in Lisbon on 13 December 2007. When the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union failed to be ratified, there was a period of “reflection” that issued in the proposal of the Reform Treaty signed in Lisbon. In terms of its content, the Treaty has many similarities to its predecessor but is seen as following in the EU tradition of amending previous treaties rather than being a stand-alone treaty such as the Constitutional Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty amends the Maastricht Treaty (now named the Treaty on European Union) and updates the Treaty of Rome (now named the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). More substantive changes include the introduction of majority voting on some EU issues. The new Treaty was intended to come into force before the 2009 elections for the European Parliament but was rejected in a referendum in Ireland in June 2008; following its acceptance in a second referendum the Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009.

• voluntary confession
• voluntary conveyance
• voluntary disposition
• voluntary liquidation
• voluntary manslaughter
• voluntary patient
• voluntary settlement
• voluntary waste
• voluntary winding-up
• volunteer
• VOO
• voting
• voting and free elections
• voyage charter
• voyage policy
• voyeurism
• vulnerable adult
• vulnerable beneficiary
• wagering contract
• wait and see principle
• waiver
• waiver of privilege
• waiver of tort
• war
• war crimes