Czech Republic - Lisbon Treaty

Czech President signs Lisbon ratification

Article published on the 2009-11-03 Latest update 2009-11-03 18:10 TU

Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer in Brussels on 30 October for a two-day European Union leaders summit
(Photo: Reuters)

The Czech Republic's President has signed the European Union's reforming Lisbon Treaty. Earlier on Tuesday the country's constitutional court cleared the treaty, saying it was in line with the country's constitution. The move clears the last hurdle to its ratification.

"The Lisbon Treaty... as a whole... does not run counter to the Czech constitution," constitutional court chairman Pavel Rychetsky said in a televised hearing.

Eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus decided to sign the document hours afterwards. The treaty aims to streamline decision-making in the 27-nation bloc - and which must be signed by all EU members to take effect.

The EU has been waiting for Klaus to end the current impasse which has hampered the European Commission - the EU's executive arm - whose mandate expired at the end of October. The treaty will now be able to be in effect as of December.