Definitions for "Amsterdam Treaty"
Reorganised cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs, setting as its objective the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice. Certain sectors formerly in the intergovernmental section of the EU and EC Treaties were brought within the Community framework, giving EU institutions scope for action on a wider range of issues.
The European Council met on 17 June 1997 in Amsterdam and the Treaty was signed on 2 October 1999. The aim was to create the political and institutional conditions to enable the European Union to meet the challenges of the future.
The 1997 Amsterdam summit focused on drafting a treaty to update the Maastricht Treaty and start preparing the European Union for enlargement.