^#smrgSAHAF The Amsterdam Treaty : A Comprehensive Guide- 1999

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.

Former Article N of the Treaty on European Union specifically required an intergovernmental conference to be convened to review certain provisions. In the first half of 1995 each of the Community institutions prepared a report on the functioning of the EU Treaty. A reflection group chaired by Carlos Westendorp, the Spanish Secretary of State for European Affairs, then devoted the second half of the year to an in-depth analysis of the possible options. The group presented its report to the Madrid European Council in December 1995. ...”