Editing Western European Union (section)

===2009–2011: Dissolution===
{{Further|Treaty of Lisbon}}
In 2009, the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] took over the WEU's mutual defence clause.<ref name=":0" /> There was much discussion about what to do with the WEU following the introduction of Lisbon, including plans to scrap it.<ref name=Rettman /> On 30 March 2010 in a Written Ministerial Statement UK's [[Foreign Office]] Minister [[Chris Bryant]] gave notice that the UK intended to withdraw from the Western European Union within a year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=PressS&id=21976547 |title=Announcements - GOV.UK |publisher=Fco.gov.uk |access-date=25 August 2013 |archive-date=24 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924111453/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=PressS&id=21976547 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 31 March 2010 the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Germany)|German Foreign Affairs Ministry]] announced Germany's intention to withdraw from the Modified Brussels Treaty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/de/Europa/Aussenpolitik/ESVP/100331WEUKuendigung,navCtx=21914.html |title=diplo - Startseite - HTTP Status 404 |language=de |publisher=Auswaertiges-amt.de |access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref> That same year, the Spanish Presidency of the WEU, on behalf of the 10 Member States of the Modified Brussels Treaty, announced the collective decision to withdraw from the Treaty and to close the WEU organisation by June 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-12-19 |title=Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación {{!}} Gobierno de España |url=http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/Actualidad/NoticiasMAEC/Paginas/20100331_not1.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219035147/http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/Actualidad/NoticiasMAEC/Paginas/20100331_not1.aspx |archive-date=2011-12-19 |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation}}</ref> On 30 June 2011 the WEU officially ceased to exist.