The treaty allows the EU for the first time to suspend the voting rights in the Council of Ministers of any country which persistantly violates basic freedoms.

A zone of freedom, security and justice will be created within five years of the treaty's entry into force, probably 2003 given time needed for ratification. Denmark was given an opt-out from the provisions.

Freedom of movement of persons is guaranteed throughout the Union, but Britain and Ireland will be allowed to maintain frontier controls.

Subject to this opt-out, the contents of the Schengen convention on freedom of movement, including police cooperation, were incorporated into the treaty.

Immigration, visa policy, political asylum, civilian judicial cooperation and harmonisation of divorce laws will become common EU policies. Unanimity will be required for decision-making, with a decision in five years on whether to move to qualified majority voting.

Judicial cooperation in criminal affairs and police cooperation will remain matters for national governments, which pledge to tighten European cooperation by unanimous decisions.

The 15 countries agree to give an operational role to the Europol police agency, embryo of a European police force.

Pilot projects can be launched on employment, but at German insistance, they will remain limited.

The "social chapter" which Britain refused to have included in the Maastricht treaty in 1991 will be integrated into the new treaty. The text provides for a harmonisation of some social regulations to prevent unfair competition within the single European market.

These strategies may be implemented by qualified majority voting, but any state which feels its vital interests are threatened can block a decision.

The treaty provides for a High Representative to embody the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The role will be held by the secretary-general of the Council, a civil servant and not the high-profile, full-time political figure sought by France.

Opposition by Britain and neutral states prevented agreement on merging the Western European Union defence grouping in to the EU. The text speaks of a "possibility of integrating the WEU into the Union, if the European Council so decides", contrary to the automatic timetable sought by Germany and France.

The Union created a planning cell of national diplomats, Council and Commission officials to harmonise positions on foreign policy and improve coherence with EU trade policy.

It was agreed in principle that when the Union is enlarged, the big countries would give up one of their two European commissioners so the size of the Brussels executive does not exceed 20.

There would be one commissioner per member state on condition that an agreement was reached on modifying the weighted votes of member states in the Council. When the number of member states goes over 20, there will be another complete review of EU institutions.