The Lisbon Treaty has come into force across the European Union. The primary aim of the agreement is to enable the EU to function more efficiently.

More decisions taken among the member states will now be decided by majority vote rather than unanimously. Vetoes will remain in a number of areas, including taxation and foreign policy.

The European Parliament and the national parliaments of the member states will also be given a bigger say in European affairs. The inception of the Lisbon Treaty also means the first day for Belgium's Herman van Rompuy in his new job as EU president.