125-663: Below are current Ambassadors of the European Union to foreign countries and international organisations. They are also known as Heads of Delegation or Envoys. Prior to the Treaty of Lisbon , the EU was represented abroad by the ambassador of the country holding the semestrial EU council presidency , and the European Commission was represented by a Head of Delegation of the Commission, who
250-502: A trading post in 1557. Portugal paid an annual rent and administered the territory under Chinese sovereignty until 1887. Portugal later gained perpetual colonial rights in the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking . The colony remained under Portuguese rule until the 1999 handover to China. Macau is a special administrative region of China, which maintains separate governing and economic systems from those of mainland China under
375-654: A "Trio" formed by three consecutive Presidencies in order to provide more continuity to their conduct. However, the Foreign Affairs Council (one configuration of the Council of ministers), is no longer chaired by the representative of the member state holding the Presidency, but rather by the person holding the newly created post of High Representative . Additionally the Euro Group sub-unit of ECOFIN Eurozone countries
500-611: A ceremony in Rome on 29 October 2004. Before it could enter into force, however, it had to be ratified by each member state. Ratification took different forms in each country, depending on the traditions, constitutional arrangements, and political processes of each country. In 2005, referendums held in France and the Netherlands rejected the European Constitution . While the majority of
625-511: A decision which was reversed in a second referendum in October 2009 after Ireland secured a number of concessions related to the treaty. The need to review the EU's constitutional framework, particularly in light of the accession of ten new Member States in 2004, was highlighted in a declaration annexed to the Treaty of Nice in 2001. The agreements at Nice had paved the way for further enlargement of
750-530: A four-year term: 14 are directly elected , 12 indirectly elected , and 7 appointed by the Chief Executive. Indirectly elected assemblymen are selected from limited electorates representing sectors of the economy or special interest groups. All directly elected members are chosen with proportional representation . Twelve political parties had representatives elected to the Legislative Assembly in
875-507: A large portion of nonresident workers to live in Zhuhai. Macau has a capitalist service economy largely based on casino gaming and tourism. It is the world's 83rd-largest economy , with a nominal GDP of approximately MOP433 billion (US$ 53.9 billion). The GDP per capita was US$ 69,430 in 2023. Although Macau has one of the highest per capita GDPs, the territory also has a high level of wealth disparity . Macau's gambling industry
1000-593: A major warehouse during the late 16th century, providing a crucial connection in exporting Chinese silk to Japan during the Nanban trade period. Although the Portuguese were initially prohibited from fortifying Macau or stockpiling weapons, the Fortaleza do Monte was constructed in response to frequent Dutch naval incursions . The Dutch attempted to take the city in the 1622 Battle of Macau , but were repelled successfully by
1125-549: A mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) under their presidency. After the June negotiations and final settlement on a 16-page framework for the new Reform Treaty, the Intergovernmental conference on actually drafting the new treaty commenced on 23 July 2007. The IGC opened following a short ceremony. The Portuguese presidency presented a 145-page document (with an extra 132 pages of 12 protocols and 51 declarations) entitled
1250-535: A member state formally requests it. Moreover, from 2014 a new version of the 1994 " Ioannina compromise " allows small minorities of EU states to call for re-examination of EU decisions. The treaty instructs that Council deliberations on legislation (that include debate and voting) will be held in public (televised), as was already the case in the European Parliament. The Presidency of the Council of Ministers , rotates among member states every six months, with
1375-607: A more powerful European Parliament forming a bicameral legislature alongside the Council of Ministers under the ordinary legislative procedure , a consolidated legal personality for the EU and the creation of a long-term President of the European Council and a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy . The Treaty also made the Union's bill of rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights , legally binding. For
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#17328555741421500-468: A much greater role in governing the territory during this period; Chinese residents were subject to Qing courts and new construction had to be approved by the resident mandarin beginning in the 1740s. As the opium trade became more lucrative during the 18th century, Macau again became an important stopping point en route to China. Following the First Opium War and the establishment of Hong Kong by
1625-491: A new EU institution named the Court of Justice of the European Union . The jurisdiction of the courts continued to be excluded from matters of foreign policy, though new jurisdiction to review foreign policy sanction measures, as well as certain ' Area of Freedom, Security and Justice ' (AFSJ) matters not concerning policing and criminal cooperation, were added. The treaty has expanded the use of qualified majority voting (QMV) in
1750-515: A non-binding resolution endorsing the Lisbon Treaty by 525 votes in favour and 115 against, on the basis of an analysis of the treaty's implications by the Parliament's rapporteurs Richard Corbett and Inigo Mendez de Vigo . They had been the Parliament's rapporteurs on the constitutional treaty. All EU member states had to ratify the Treaty before it could enter into law. A national ratification
1875-550: A number of amendments to the Treaty on European Union ("Maastricht Treaty") and the Treaty establishing the European Community ("Treaty of Rome"), the latter renamed 'Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union' in the process. As amended by the Treaty of Lisbon, the Treaty on European Union provides a reference to the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights , making that document legally binding. The Treaty on European Union,
2000-437: A number of bodies created by dedicated treaties continue to exist as international entities technically in their own right, but are nevertheless considered facets of the EU, as their membership is legally restricted exclusively to EU members and subject to termination in case of withdrawal of a member state from the EU, while their constituent treaties vest various powers regarding them in the EU institutions; these bodies are: In
2125-547: A population density of 21,340 people per square kilometre, Macau is the most densely populated region in the world. The overwhelming majority (88.7 per cent) are Chinese , many of whom originate from Guangdong (31.9 per cent) or Fujian (5.9 per cent). The remaining 11.6 per cent are non ethnic Chinese minorities, primarily Filipinos (4.6 per cent), Vietnamese (2.4 per cent), and Portuguese (1.8 per cent). Several thousand residents are of Macanese heritage, native-born multiracial people with mixed Portuguese ancestry. Of
2250-644: A reference to breach "of the values referred to in Article 2" and the words "of this Treaty" shall be replaced by "of the Treaties"; The commission has published a consolidated text (in each community language) which shows the previous Treaties as revised by the Treaty of Lisbon. The fifty-five articles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union enshrine certain political, social, and economic rights for both European Union citizens and residents, into EU law . It
2375-451: A share of GDP peaked in 2013 at over 60 per cent, and continues to account for 49.1 per cent of total economic output. The vast majority of casino patrons are tourists from mainland China, making up 68 per cent of all visitors. Casino gaming is illegal in both the mainland and Hong Kong, giving Macau a legal monopoly on the industry in China. Revenue from Chinese high rollers has been falling and
2500-476: A top destination for gambling tourism. Its gambling industry is seven times larger than that of Las Vegas . The city has one of the highest GDPs per capita and GDPs per capita by purchasing power parity in the world. It has a very high Human Development Index of 0.925, as calculated by the Government of Macau , and the fourth-highest life expectancy in the world. The territory is highly urbanised, holding
2625-406: A trading post from China by paying annual lease of hundreds of silver taels to Ming China. Luso-Canton trade relations were formally reestablished in 1554, and Portugal soon after acquired a permanent lease for Macau in 1557, agreeing to pay 500 taels of silver as annual land rent. Macau became a stopover on the sea lane that connected Japan with the wider world. The Portuguese could avoid
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#17328555741422750-483: A vote. The presidency of the council, which continues to rotate among member states every six months, has lost influence: the prime minister of the country in question no longer chairs the European Council, and its foreign minister no longer represents the EU externally (that is now done by the High Representative). Despite the acquisition by the European Union of full international legal personality upon entry of
2875-437: Is Coloane Alto , 170.6 m (560 ft) above sea level. Urban development is concentrated on peninsular Macau, where most of the population lives. The peninsula was originally a separate island with hilly terrain, which gradually became a tombolo as a connecting sandbar formed over time. Both natural sedimentation and land reclamation expanded the area enough to support urban growth. Macau has tripled its land area in
3000-669: Is a complicated question, since like the Galicia region in Spain , it is not an independent country, but only a part of China. However, the Instituto Internacional de Macau ( 澳門國際研究所 ) and the University of São José are Consultative Observers of the CPLP. The territory is divided into seven parishes. Cotai , a major area developed on reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane , and areas of
3125-539: Is acting neither on a proposal of the Commission nor on one of the High Representative, QMV requires 72% of the member states while the population requirement remains the same. However, the "blocking minority" that corresponds to these figures must comprise at least 4 countries. Hence, the voting powers of the member states are based on their population, and are no longer dependent on a negotiable system of voting points. The reform of qualified majority voting (QMV) in
3250-473: Is also heavily subsidised. Migrant workers living in Macau account for over 25 per cent of the entire workforce. They largely work in lower wage sectors of the economy, including construction, hotels, and restaurants. As a growing proportion of local residents take up employment in the gaming industry, the disparity in income between local and migrant workers has been increasing. Rising living costs have also pushed
3375-415: Is dual season dominant – summer (May to September) and winter (December to February) are the longest seasons, while spring (March and April) and autumn (October and November) are relatively brief periods. The summer monsoon brings warm and humid air from the sea, with the most frequent rainfall occurring during the season. Typhoons also occur most often then, bringing significant spikes in rainfall. During
3500-598: Is the largest in the world, generating over MOP195 billion (US$ 24 billion) in revenue and about seven times larger than that of Las Vegas . Macau's gambling revenue was $ 37 billion in 2018. Taxes from gambling revenues fund a robust welfare system and an annual cash payment to Macau's citizens. The regional economy is heavily reliant on casino gaming. The vast majority of government funding (79.6 per cent of total tax revenue) comes from gaming. Local taxes on personal income, residential property, and retail sales range from non-existent to negligible. Gambling as
3625-551: Is very similar to Hong Kong's. The regional government is composed of three branches: The Chief Executive is the head of government, and serves for a maximum of two five-year terms. The State Council (led by the Premier of China ) appoints the Chief Executive after nomination by the Election Committee, which is composed of 400 business, community, and government leaders. The Legislative Assembly has 33 members, each serving
3750-841: The [REDACTED] European Union (1973–2020) Normally based in Sanaa The European Union has not established diplomatic relations with [REDACTED] Iran and [REDACTED] North Korea. |} The Royal Covenant of Professional Phylogenetic analysis Article Impact Aim Sociallegal Humanity and The code of business development Conduct Deputy Head of Delegation in Vienna Head of Delegation in Vienna Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Andorra and [REDACTED] Monaco Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Vanuatu Treaty of Lisbon The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as
3875-559: The Haijin policies. It was limited only to Macau on a lesser scale while the new dynasty focused on eliminating surviving Ming loyalists . While the Kangxi Emperor lifted the prohibition in 1684, China again restricted trade decades later under the Canton System in 1757. Foreign ships were required to stop first at Macau before further proceeding to Canton . Qing authorities exercised
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4000-634: The 2017 election . These parties have aligned themselves into two ideological groups: the pro-establishment (the current government) and pro-democracy camps. Macau is represented in the National People's Congress by 12 deputies chosen through an electoral college, and 29 delegates in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference appointed by the central government . Macau has generally congenial relations with China's central government. Chinese national law does not generally apply in
4125-627: The Amato Group (officially the Action Committee for European Democracy, ACED) – a group of European politicians, backed by the Barroso Commission with two representatives in the group – worked unofficially on rewriting the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (EU Constitution). On 4 June 2007, the group released their text in French – cut from 63,000 words in 448 articles in
4250-562: The Chinese Communist Party in exchange for continued administration of Macau. Following the 1974 Carnation Revolution , Portugal formally relinquished Macau as an overseas province and acknowledged it as a "Chinese territory under Portuguese administration". After China first concluded arrangements on Hong Kong's future with the United Kingdom , it entered negotiations with Portugal over Macau in 1986. These concluded with
4375-457: The Council was one of the main issues in the negotiation of the Lisbon Treaty. The earlier rules for QMV, set in the Treaty of Nice and applying until 2014, required a majority of countries (50% / 67%), voting weights (74%), and population (62%). Between 2014 and 2017 a transitional phase is taking place where the new QMV rules apply, but where the old Nice treaty voting weights can be applied when
4500-573: The Council of Ministers . The European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT) Members contributed to the preparation of the Lisbon Agenda, which sought to make Europe the 'most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world' by 2010. But the implementation of the Agenda was less impressive than the declarations made at its adoption by the European Council in March 2000. ERT Members constantly stressed
4625-529: The Draft Treaty amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community and made it available on the Council of Ministers website as a starting point for the drafting process. In addition to government representatives and legal scholars from each member state, the European Parliament sent three representatives. These were conservative Elmar Brok , social democratic Enrique Baron Crespo and liberal Andrew Duff . Before
4750-620: The European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Commission , the European Council , and the 27 Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the member states . Normally based in Kabul Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Antigua & Barbuda, [REDACTED] Dominica, [REDACTED] Grenada, [REDACTED] St. Lucia, [REDACTED] St. Kitts & Nevis, [REDACTED] St. Vincent &
4875-631: The Macau New Urban Zone do not have defined parishes. Historically, the parishes belonged to one of two municipalities (the Municipality of Macau or the Municipality of Ilhas ) that were responsible for administering municipal services. The municipalities were abolished in 2001 and superseded by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau in providing local services. Macau is located on China's southern coast, 60 km (37 mi) west of Hong Kong , on
5000-615: The Reform Treaty ) is a European agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by all EU member states on 13 December 2007, entered into force on 1 December 2009. It amends the Maastricht Treaty (1992), known in updated form as the Treaty on European Union (2007) or TEU, as well as the Treaty of Rome (1957), known in updated form as
5125-566: The SWIFT data sharing deal with the US and threatened to do so over a free trade agreement with South Korea . The redistribution of separated powers was affected by the ratification process. Like the commission, the Council of Ministers has, relatively, lost power due to Treaty of Lisbon. Its dynamic has also changed as member states have lost their veto in a number of areas. Consequently, they have had to come up with stronger arguments faster in order to win
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5250-401: The Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking . This agreement also prohibited Portugal from ceding Macau without Chinese approval. Despite occasional conflict between Cantonese authorities and the colonial government, Macau's status remained unchanged through the republican revolutions of both Portugal in 1910 and China in 1911 . The Kuomintang further affirmed Portuguese jurisdiction in Macau when
5375-483: The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau . This licence was renegotiated and renewed several times before ending in 2002 after 40 years. The government then allowed open bidding for casino licences to attract foreign investors. Along with an easing of travel restrictions on mainland Chinese visitors, this triggered a period of rapid economic growth; from 1999 to 2016, Macau's gross domestic product multiplied by 7 and
5500-650: The Song dynasty (960–1279 AD), it was under the jurisdiction of the new Xiangshan County . In 1277, approximately 50,000 refugees fleeing the Mongol conquest of China settled in the coastal area. The first European visitor to reach China by sea was the explorer Jorge Álvares , who arrived in 1513. Merchants first established a trading post in Hong Kong waters at Tamão , present-day Tuen Mun , beginning regular trade with nearby settlements in southern China. Military clashes between
5625-749: The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress can also override territorial judicial processes. In 2021, after similar actions were taken in Hong Kong following the protests associated with the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement, 21 candidates running for office in the territorial elections were disqualified as a result of allegedly failing to support the Basic Law, although no specific violations were noted by
5750-581: The State Council . Further reclamation is underway to develop parts of the Macau New Urban Zone . The territory also has control over part of an artificial island to maintain a border checkpoint for the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge . Despite being located south of the Tropic of Cancer , Macau has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cwa ), characteristic of southern China. The territory
5875-488: The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (2007) or TFEU. It also amends the attached treaty protocols as well as the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). Prominent changes included the move from unanimity to qualified majority voting in at least 45 policy areas in the Council of Ministers , a change in calculating such a majority to a new double majority ,
6000-612: The World Trade Organization and United Nations . The regional government maintains trade offices in Greater China and other nations. Public political demonstrations in Macau are generally rare. Macau is not a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries , despite Portuguese being one of its official languages. This is due to it not being a sovereign nation, but a subnational division of China. In 2006, during
6125-525: The handover , resulting in an executive-led governing system largely inherited from the territory's history as a Portuguese colony. Under these terms and the " one country, two systems " principle, the Basic Law of Macao is the regional constitution . Because negotiations for the Joint Declaration and Basic Law began after transitional arrangements for Hong Kong were made, Macau's structure of government
6250-526: The matchlock musket arquebuses , which they named bird guns , and breech-loading swivel guns , which they named as Folangji ( Frankish ) cannon because the Portuguese were known to the Chinese under the name of Franks at this time. The Portuguese later returned to China peacefully and presented themselves under the name Portuguese instead of Franks in the Luso-Chinese agreement (1554) . They rented Macau as
6375-542: The right of abode in Macau and are subject to immigration controls. Public finances are handled separately from the national government, and taxes levied in Macau do not fund the central authority. The Macao Garrison is responsible for the region's defence. Although the Chairman of the Central Military Commission is supreme commander of the armed forces, the regional government may request assistance from
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#17328555741426500-430: The simplified characters used on the mainland. English is considered an additional working language and is spoken by over a quarter of the population (27.5 per cent); 2.8 per cent are native speakers, and 24.7 per cent speak English as a second language. Macanese Patois , a local creole generally known as Patuá , is now spoken only by a few in the older Macanese community. Religion in Macau (2012) According to
6625-595: The British, Macau lost its role as a major port. Firecracker and incense production, as well as tea and tobacco processing, were vital industries in the colony during this time. Portugal was able to capitalise on China's postwar weakness and assert its sovereignty; the Governor of Macau began refusing to pay China annual land rent for the colony in the 1840s, and annexed Taipa and Coloane , in 1851 and 1864, respectively. Portugal also occupied nearby Lapa and Montanha . But these were returned to China by 1887, when perpetual occupation rights over Macau were formalised in
6750-416: The Council of Ministers by having it replace unanimity as the standard voting procedure in almost every policy area outside taxation and foreign policy. Moreover, taking effect in 2014, the definition of a qualified majority has changed: a qualified majority is reached when at least 55% of all member states, who comprise at least 65% of EU citizens, vote in favour of a proposal. When the Council of Ministers
6875-400: The Council of the European Union at the time, arranged a ceremony inside the 16th-century Jerónimos Monastery , the same place Portugal's treaty of accession to the European Union (EU) was signed in 1985. Representatives from the 27 EU member states were present, and signed the Treaty as plenipotentiaries , marking the end of treaty negotiations. In addition, for the first time an EU treaty
7000-411: The EU , with Chancellor Angela Merkel leading the negotiations as President-in-Office of the European Council. After dealing with other issues, such as deciding on the accession of Cyprus and Malta to the Eurozone , negotiations on the Treaty took over and lasted until the morning of 23 June 2007. The hardest part of the negotiations was reported to be Poland's insistence on square root voting in
7125-420: The Government Information Bureau, 80 per cent of the population practices Buddhism , 6.7 per cent follow Christianity and 13.7 per cent follow other religion. Folk practices are also common among the citizens. According to Pew Research Center , Chinese folk religions have the most adherents (58.9 per cent) and are followed by Buddhism (17.3 per cent) and Christianity (7.2 per cent), while 15.4 per cent of
7250-2491: The Grenadines, the OECS and CARICOM / CARIFORUM Accredited also as EU Special Representative Accredited also as EU Ambassador to SADC Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Equatorial Guinea Accredited also as EU Ambassador to IGAD Accredited also as EU Ambassador to SICA Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Cook Islands, [REDACTED] Kiribati, [REDACTED] Marshall Islands, [REDACTED] Micronesia, [REDACTED] Nauru, [REDACTED] Niue, [REDACTED] Palau, [REDACTED] Samoa, [REDACTED] Solomon Islands, [REDACTED] Tonga, [REDACTED] Tuvalu and [REDACTED] Vanuatu, as well as [REDACTED] French Polynesia, [REDACTED] New Caledonia and [REDACTED] Wallis & Futuna. Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Sao Tomé & Principe and ECCAS Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Suriname with responsibility for [REDACTED] Aruba, [REDACTED] Bonaire, [REDACTED] Curaçao, [REDACTED] Saba, [REDACTED] St Barthelemy, [REDACTED] St Eustatius and [REDACTED] St Maarten Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] San Marino, [REDACTED] Malta Order and [REDACTED] FAO Accredited as Head of Office. Accredited also to [REDACTED] Macao Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Bhutan Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Brunei Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Belize, [REDACTED] The Bahamas, [REDACTED] Turks & Caicos Islands and [REDACTED] Cayman Islands Accredited also as EU Permanent Representative to [REDACTED] UNEP and [REDACTED] UN-Habitat Accredited as Head of Office and EU Special Representative Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Comoros Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Seychelles Accredited also as EU Ambassador to ECOWAS Accredited as Head of Office. Accredited also to [REDACTED] UNWRA Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Bahrain and [REDACTED] Oman Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Maldives Accredited also as EU Ambassador to [REDACTED] Liechtenstein Normally based in Damascus Accredited as Head of Office Accredited also as EU Ambassador to EAC Member state of
7375-449: The II Ministerial meeting between China and Portuguese Speaking Countries, the CPLP Executive Secretary and Deputy ambassador Tadeu Soares invited the Chief Executive of the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region, Edmund Ho, to request the Associate Observer status for Macau. The Government of Macau has yet to make this request. In 2016, Murade Murargy, then executive secretary of CPLP said in an interview that Macau's membership
7500-418: The June meeting, the name 'Reform Treaty' also emerged, finally clarifying that the Constitutional approach was abandoned. Technically it was agreed that the Reform Treaty would amend both the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC) to include most provisions of the European Constitution, however not to combine them into one document. It was also agreed to rename
7625-405: The Member States already had ratified the European Constitution (mostly through parliamentary ratification, although Spain and Luxembourg held referendums), due to the requirement of unanimity to amend the treaties of the EU, it became clear that it could not enter into force. This led to a "period of reflection" and the political end of the proposed European Constitution. In 2007, Germany took over
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#17328555741427750-411: The Ming and Portuguese navies followed the expulsion of the Tamão traders in 1521. Despite the trade ban, Portuguese merchants continued to attempt to settle on other parts of the Pearl River estuary, finally settling on Macau. In their first attempts at obtaining trading posts by force, the Portuguese were defeated by the Ming Chinese at the Battle of Tunmen in Tamão (or Tuen Mun ) in 1521, where
7875-402: The Pearl River and inched towards Quanzhou and Ningbo . But as they failed to establish trading relationships with the Chinese, the Portuguese focused on trade with Japan. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau was created in 1576, and by 1583 the Municipal Council of Macau had been established to handle municipal affairs for the growing settlement. Macau was at the peak of its prosperity as
8000-401: The Philippines, Australia, Vietnam and the Russian Far East led in 2019 to the lowest revenues in three years. Export-oriented manufacturing previously contributed to a much larger share of economic output, peaking at 36.9 per cent of GDP in 1985 and falling to less than 1 per cent in 2017. The bulk of these exports were cotton textiles and apparel, but also included toys and electronics. At
8125-489: The Portuguese lost two ships. They were also defeated at the Battle of Sincouwaan around Lantau Island , where the Portuguese lost two more ships. Other defeats include Shuangyu in 1548, where several Portuguese were captured, and near Dongshan County in 1549, where two Portuguese junks and Galeote Pereira were captured. During these battles the Ming Chinese captured weapons from the defeated Portuguese which they reverse engineered and mass-produced in China. These included
8250-412: The Portuguese. Macau entered a period of decline in the 1640s following a series of catastrophic events for the burgeoning colony: Portuguese access to trade routes was irreparably severed when Japan halted trade in 1639, and after the Portuguese Restoration War of 1640, Portuguese Malacca fell to the Dutch in 1641. Maritime trade with China was banned in 1644 following the Qing conquest under
8375-491: The Treaty (then called the 'Reform Treaty') be signed in Lisbon , the Portuguese capital. This request was granted, and the Treaty was thus to be called the Treaty of Lisbon, in line with the tradition of European Union treaties. The Portuguese presidency was appointed to the job of organising the programme for a signing ceremony. The signing of the Treaty of Lisbon took place in Lisbon, Portugal on 13 December 2007. The Government of Portugal , by virtue of holding Presidency of
8500-410: The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe to 12,800 words in 70 articles. In the Berlin Declaration, the EU leaders unofficially set a new timeline for the new treaty: On 21 June 2007, the European Council of heads of states or governments met in Brussels to agree upon the foundation of a new treaty to replace the rejected Constitution . The meeting took place under the German Presidency of
8625-450: The Treaty of Lisbon into force, the EU has not achieved a truly unitary personality. One of the European Communities has remained a distinct international body, though under common management with the EU, namely: Moreover, one of the EU institutions has retained partial independence at the international level, and has been considered under certain conditions a distinct international body empowered with entering treaties, namely: In addition,
8750-462: The Treaty of Lisbon, such as former Danish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jens-Peter Bonde , argued that it would centralize the EU, and weaken democracy by "moving power away" from national electorates. Supporters argue that it brings more checks and balances into the EU system, with stronger powers for the European Parliament and a new role for national parliaments. Negotiations to modify EU institutions began in 2001, resulting first in
8875-416: The Treaty of Peking was renegotiated in 1928. During the Second World War , the Empire of Japan did not occupy the colony and generally respected Portuguese neutrality in Macau. However, after Japanese troops captured a British cargo ship in Macau waters in 1943, Japan installed a group of government "advisors" as an alternative to military occupation. The territory largely avoided military action during
9000-432: The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Charter of Fundamental Rights thus have equal legal value and combined constitute the European Union's legal basis. A typical amendment in Treaty of Lisbon text is: Article 7 shall be amended as follows: (a) throughout the Article, the word "assent" shall be replaced by "consent", the reference to breach "of principles mentioned in Article 6(1)" shall be replaced by
9125-447: The Union by reforming voting procedures. The Laeken declaration of December 2001 committed the EU to improving democracy , transparency and efficiency, and set out the process by which a constitution aiming to achieve these goals could be created. The European Convention was established, presided over by former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing , and was given the task of consulting as widely as possible across Europe with
9250-642: The United Kingdom and Poland, it was also decided to add a protocol to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (clarifying that it did not extend the rights of the courts to overturn domestic law in Britain or Poland). Among the specific changes were greater ability to opt out in certain areas of legislation and that the proposed new voting system that was part of the European Constitution would not be used before 2014 (see Provisions below). In
9375-462: The aim of producing a first draft of the Constitution. The final text of the proposed Constitution was agreed upon at the summit meeting on 18–19 June 2004 under the presidency of Ireland. Until the Lisbon Treaty the EU did not have any explicit law respecting the foreign investment regulations. The Constitution , having been agreed by heads of government from the 25 Member States , was signed at
9500-483: The colony expanded its clothing and textiles manufacturing industry, developed its tourism industry, and legalised casino gaming. However, at the height of the Cultural Revolution , residents dissatisfied with the colonial administration rioted in the 1966 12-3 incident , in which 8 people were killed and more than 200 were injured. Portugal lost full control over the colony afterwards, and agreed to cooperate with
9625-412: The commission, the traditional motor of integration, to the European Council with its new full-time and longer-term President. The split between the Commission and European Council presidents involved overlap, potential rivalry and unwieldy compromises, such as both presidents attending international summits, in theory each with their own responsibilities, but inevitably with a considerable grey area. There
9750-469: The competences of the EU beyond its competences as defined in the treaties . The European Central Bank gained the official status of being an EU institution, and the European Council was given the right to appoint presidents of the European Central Bank through a qualified majority vote . On a related topic, the euro became the official currency of the Union (though not affecting opt-outs or
9875-514: The council, Poland indicated they wished to re-open some areas. During June, Poland's Prime Minister had controversially stated that Poland would have a substantially larger population were it not for World War II. Another issue was that Dutch prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende succeeded in obtaining a greater role for national parliaments in the EU decision-making process, as he declared this to be non-negotiable for Dutch agreement. Portugal had pressed and supported Germany to reach an agreement on
10000-403: The economy and taxes corporations at very low rates. Post-handover administrations have generally been more involved in enhancing social welfare to counter the cyclical nature of the gaming industry. Economic growth has been attributed in large part to the high number of mainlander visits to Macau, and the central government exercises a role in guiding casino business growth through its control of
10125-513: The end of 2008, thus entering into force on 1 January 2009. This plan failed however, primarily due to the initial rejection of the Treaty in 2008 by the Irish electorate in a referendum, a decision which was reversed in a second referendum in October 2009. Ireland , as required by its constitution , was the only member state to hold referendums on the Treaty. In the UK, the European Union (Amendment) Bill
10250-462: The existing treaties and amend them, to bring into law a number of the reforms that had been envisaged in the abandoned constitution. An amending "reform" treaty was drawn up and signed in Lisbon in 2007. It was originally intended to have been ratified by all member states by the end of 2008. This timetable failed, primarily due to the initial rejection of the Treaty in June 2008 by the Irish electorate,
10375-513: The final drafts of the Treaty. During the council, it became clear that the Reform Treaty would be called the 'Treaty of Lisbon', because its signing would take place in Lisbon —Portugal being the holder of the presidency of the Council of the European Union at the time. At the European Council meeting on 18 and 19 October 2007 in Lisbon, a few last-minute concessions were made to ensure the signing of
10500-415: The first time, the treaty gave member states the explicit legal right to leave the EU , and established a procedure by which to do so. The stated aim of the treaty was to "complete the process started by the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) and by the Treaty of Nice (2001) with a view to enhancing the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and to improving the coherence of its action". Opponents of
10625-566: The garrison. Macau residents are not required to perform military service and the law also has no provision for local enlistment, so its defence force is composed entirely of nonresidents. The State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handle diplomatic matters, but Macau retains the ability to maintain separate economic and cultural relations with foreign nations . The territory negotiates its own trade agreements and actively participates in supranational organisations, including agencies of
10750-405: The handover in 1999, manufacturing, financial services, construction and real estate, and gaming were the four largest sectors of the economy. Macau's shift to an economic model entirely dependent on gaming caused concern over its overexposure to a single sector, prompting the regional government to attempt re-diversifying its economy. The government traditionally had a non-interventionist role in
10875-483: The internal relations within EU, its legal personality is fragmented further, as each of the agencies, decentralised independent bodies, corporate bodies and joint undertakings of the European Union and the Euratom is considered a juridical person in its own right, distinct from the legal personality of EU as a whole. As an amending treaty, the Treaty of Lisbon is not intended to be read as an autonomous text. It consists of
11000-460: The last century, increasing from 10.28 km (3.97 sq mi) in the late 19th century to 32.9 km (12.7 sq mi) in 2018. Cotai , the area of reclaimed land connecting Taipa and Coloane, contains many of the newer casinos and resorts established after 1999. The region's jurisdiction over the surrounding sea was greatly expanded in 2015, when it was granted an additional 85 km (33 sq mi) of maritime territory by
11125-562: The need for better performance by national governments towards achieving the Lisbon targets within a specified timeframe that otherwise risked remaining beyond Europe's grasp. In subsequent years, ERT regularly contributed to the debate on how to ensure better implementation of the Lisbon Agenda across all EU Member States, including on ways to foster innovation and achieve higher industry investment in Research & Development in Europe. The agreement
11250-573: The opening of the IGC, the Polish government expressed a desire to renegotiate the June agreement, notably over the voting system, but relented under political pressure by most other Member States, due to a desire not to be seen as the sole trouble maker over the negotiations. The October European Council, led by Portugal's Prime Minister and then President-in-Office of the European Council, José Sócrates , consisted of legal experts from all Member States scrutinising
11375-520: The population profess no religious affiliation at all. Small minorities adhering to other religions (less than 1 per cent), including Hinduism , Judaism , and Islam , are also resident in Macau. Life expectancy in Macau was 81.6 years for males and 87.7 years for females in 2018, the fourth highest in the world. Cancer , heart disease , and respiratory disease are the territory's three leading causes of death. Most government-provided healthcare services are free of charge, though alternative treatment
11500-550: The population, 80.1 per cent as a first language and 7.5 per cent as a second language. Only 2.3 per cent can speak Portuguese , the other official language; 0.7 per cent are native speakers, and 1.6 per cent use it as a second language. Increased immigration from mainland China in recent years has added to the number of Mandarin speakers, making up about half of the population (50.4 per cent); 5.5 per cent are native speakers and 44.9 per cent are second language speakers. Traditional Chinese characters are used in writing, rather than
11625-516: The principle of " one country, two systems ". The unique blend of Portuguese and Chinese architecture in the city's historic centre has resulted in its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005. Originally a sparsely populated collection of coastal islands, Macau, often referred to as the "Las Vegas of the East", since the late 20th century has become a major resort city and
11750-683: The process of Eurozone enlargement ). Under the Treaty of Lisbon, the Court of First Instance has been renamed the General Court . The Civil Service Tribunal and the European Court of Justice (formerly named the Court of Justice of the European Communities , and formally called only Court of Justice after the Treaty of Lisbon), along with the General Court, were established as sub-courts of
11875-416: The proposed Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , which would have repealed the existing European treaties and replaced them with a "constitution". Although ratified by a majority of member states, this was abandoned after being rejected by 55% of French voters on 29 May 2005 and then by 61% of Dutch voters on 1 June 2005. After a "period of reflection", member states agreed instead to maintain
12000-426: The region, and Macau is treated as a separate jurisdiction. Its judicial system is based on Portuguese civil law , continuing the legal tradition established during colonial rule. Interpretative and amending power over the Basic Law and jurisdiction over acts of state lie with the central authority, however, making regional courts ultimately subordinate to the mainland's socialist civil law system. Decisions made by
12125-587: The rotating EU Presidency and declared the period of reflection over. By March, the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome , the Berlin Declaration was adopted by all Member States. This declaration outlined the intention of all Member States to agree on a new treaty in time for the 2009 Parliamentary elections , that is to have a ratified treaty before mid-2009. Already before the Berlin Declaration,
12250-554: The signing of the 1987 Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau , in which Portugal agreed the handover of the colony in 1999 and China guaranteed Macau's political and economic systems for 50 years after the handover. In the waning years of colonial rule, Macau rapidly urbanised and constructed large-scale infrastructure projects, including the Macau International Airport and a new container port . The handover of Macau
12375-555: The spelling as Macau ; however, the use of Macao persisted in English and other European languages. The Macau Peninsula had many names in Chinese, including Jing'ao ( 井澳/鏡澳 ), Haojing ( 濠鏡 ), and Haojing'ao ( 濠鏡澳 ). The islands Taipa , Coloane , and Hengqin were collectively called Shizimen ( 十字門 ). These names would later become Ou mún ( 澳門 ), Aomen in Mandarin and translating as "bay gate" or "port gate", to refer to
12500-421: The status of the most densely populated territory on Earth; two-thirds of the total land area is built on land reclaimed from the sea . The first known written record of the name "Macau", rendered as "A Ma Gang" ( 亞/阿-媽/馬-港 ), is found in a letter dated 20 November 1555. The local inhabitants believed that the sea goddess Matsu (alternatively called A-Ma) had blessed and protected the harbour and referred to
12625-518: The territory's electoral commission. The territory's jurisdictional independence is most apparent in its immigration and taxation policies. The Identification Department issues passports for permanent residents which differ from those issued by the mainland or Hong Kong, and the region maintains a regulated border with the rest of the country. All travellers between Macau and China and Hong Kong must pass border controls, regardless of nationality. Chinese citizens resident in mainland China do not have
12750-470: The total population (excluding migrants), 49.4 per cent were born in Macau, followed by 43.1 per cent in mainland China. A large portion of the population are Portuguese citizens , a legacy of colonial rule; at the time of the handover in 1999, 107,000 residents held Portuguese passports. The predominant language is Cantonese , a variety of Chinese originating in Guangdong. It is spoken by 87.5 per cent of
12875-446: The treaty establishing the European Community, which is the main functional agreement including most of the substantive provisions of European primary law, to " Treaty on the Functioning of the Union ". In addition, it was agreed, that unlike the European Constitution where a charter was part of the document, there would only be a reference to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union to make that text legally binding. After
13000-433: The treaty included the same institutional reforms as those in the rejected Constitution, but merely without language and symbols that suggested Europe might have 'formal political status'. These 'more symbolic than substantial' concessions were designed 'to head off any threat of referenda [ sic ]' which had killed the Constitution. At the meeting of the European Council in October 2007, Portugal insisted that
13125-399: The treaty on the functioning of the EU left many questions open (uncertainties which have led to calls for another new treaty in response to the economic crisis in the late 2000s). When its impact is assessed, the biggest winners from Lisbon have been Parliament, with its increase in power, and the European Council. The first months under Lisbon arguably saw a shift in power and leadership from
13250-415: The treaty. That included giving Poland a slightly stronger wording for the revived Ioannina Compromise , plus a nomination for an additional Advocate General at the European Court of Justice . The creation of the permanent "Polish" Advocate General was formally permitted by an increase of the number of Advocates General from 8 to 11. Despite these concessions and alterations, Giscard d’Estaing stated that
13375-480: The unemployment rate dropped from 6.3 to 1.9 per cent. The Sands Macao , Wynn Macau , MGM Macau , and Venetian Macau were all opened during the first decade after liberalisation of casino concessions. Casinos employ about 24 per cent of the total workforce in the region. "Increased competition from casinos popping up across Asia to lure away Chinese high rollers and tourists" in Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Nepal,
13500-438: The very small size of a 'microstate' helps central authorities to exercise political control, stifle political pluralism, and monopolize opinions, all of which strengthen regime persistence." Macau is a special administrative region of China , with executive, legislative, and judicial powers devolved from the national government . The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration provided for economic and administrative continuity through
13625-545: The war except in 1945, when the United States ordered air raids on Macau after learning that the colonial government was preparing to sell aviation fuel to Japan. In 1950 the US paid Portugal more than US$ 20 million in compensation for the damage during the war. Refugees from mainland China swelled the population as they fled from the Chinese Civil War . Access to a large workforce enabled Macau's economy to grow as
13750-451: The waters around A-Ma Temple by her name. When Portuguese explorers first arrived in the area and asked for the place name, the locals thought they were asking about the temple and told them it was "Ma Kok" ( 媽閣 ). The earliest Portuguese spelling for this was Amaquão . Multiple variations were used until Amacão / Amacao and Macão / Macao became common during the 17th century. The 1911 reform of Portuguese orthography standardised
13875-570: The western side of the Pearl River estuary. It is surrounded by the South China Sea in the east and south, and neighbours the Guangdong city of Zhuhai to the west and north. The territory consists of Macau Peninsula , Taipa , and Coloane . A 1 km (0.39 sq mi) parcel of land in neighbouring Hengqin island that hosts the University of Macau also falls under the regional government's jurisdiction. The territory's highest point
14000-568: The whole territory. During the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), the region was under the jurisdiction of Panyu County , Nanhai Prefecture of the province of Guangdong . The region is first known to have been settled during the Han dynasty . It was administratively part of Dongguan Prefecture in the Jin dynasty (266–420 AD), and alternated under the control of Nanhai and Dongguan in later dynasties. In 1152, during
14125-471: The winter, northern winds from the continent bring dry air and much less rainfall. The highest and lowest temperatures recorded at the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau are 38.9 °C (102.0 °F) on both 2 July 1930 and 6 July 1930 and −1.8 °C (28.8 °F) on 26 January 1948. The Statistics and Census Service estimated Macau's population at 667,400 at the end of 2018. With
14250-425: The world on a per capita basis. Political debates have centred on the region's jurisdictional independence and the central government's adherence of " one country, two systems ". While issues such as national security legislation have been controversial, Macanese residents generally have high levels of trust in the government. Kwong and Wong explain this by comparing Macau to Hong Kong: "The case of Macau shows that
14375-701: Was a member of the diplomatic corps and given the title of ambassador as a courtesy. Since 2010, the Ambassador of the European Union, now officially accredited as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, is appointed by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission , following a proposal by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy . Ambassadors are chosen among candidates coming from
14500-415: Was also signed by the presidents of the three main EU institutions. Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom did not take part in the main ceremony, and instead signed the treaty separately a number of hours after the other delegates. A requirement to appear before a committee of British MPs was cited as the reason for his absence. On 20 February 2008, the European Parliament voted in favour of
14625-404: Was at midnight on 20 December 1999, after 442 years of Portuguese rule. Following the handover, Macau liberalised its casino industry (which previously operated under a government-licensed monopoly) to allow foreign investors, starting a new period of economic development. The regional economy grew by a double-digit annual growth rate from 2002 to 2014, making Macau one of the richest economies in
14750-521: Was completed and registered when the instruments of ratification were lodged with the Government of Italy. The month following the deposition of the last national ratification saw the Treaty enter into force across the EU. Under the original timetable set by the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2007, the Treaty was initially scheduled to be fully ratified by
14875-567: Was debated in the House of Commons on 21 January 2008, and passed its second reading that day by a vote of 362 to 224; Prime Minister Gordon Brown was absent that day; the Bill was proposed to the Commons by David Miliband . The Czech instrument of ratification was the last to be deposited in Rome on 13 November 2009. Therefore, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on 1 December 2009. The exact impact of
15000-522: Was drafted by the European Convention and solemnly proclaimed on 7 December 2000 by the European Parliament , the Council of Ministers and the European Commission . However its then legal status was uncertain and it did not have full legal effect until the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009. In the rejected Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe the charter
15125-574: Was forecast to fall as much as 10% more in 2019. Economic uncertainty may account for some of the drop, but alternate Asian gambling venues do as well. For example, Chinese visitors to the Philippines more than doubled between 2015 and 2018, since the City of Dreams casino opened in Manila. Casino gambling was legalised in 1962 and the gaming industry initially operated under a government-licensed monopoly granted to
15250-503: Was formalized. Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China . With a population of about 710,000 people and a land area of 32.9 km (12.7 sq mi), it is the most densely populated region in the world. Formerly a Portuguese colony, the territory of Portuguese Macau was first leased to Portugal by the Ming dynasty as
15375-468: Was integrated as a part of the treaty itself. In the Lisbon Treaty, however, the charter is incorporated by reference and given legal status without forming part of the treaties. The EU must act and legislate consistently with the Charter and the EU's courts will strike down EU legislation which contravenes it. The Charter only applies to EU member states as regards their implementation of EU law and does not extend
15500-400: Was reached on a 16-page mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference , that proposed removing much of the constitutional terminology and many of the symbols from the old European Constitution text. In addition, it was agreed to recommend to the IGC that the provisions of the old European Constitution should be amended in certain key aspects (such as voting or foreign policy). Due to pressure from
15625-540: Was some expectation that the posts might be merged—as permitted under the new treaty—in 2014, when their two mandates expired. Parliament has used its greater powers over legislation, but also for example over the appointment of the commission to gain further privileges from President Barroso and it used its budgetary powers as a veto over how the External Action Service should be set up. It also applied its new power over international agreements to rapidly block
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