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Czech court clears Lisbon Treaty Czech court clears Lisbon Treaty
(20 minutes later)
A top Czech court has said the EU's Lisbon Treaty is compatible with the nation's constitution. A top Czech court has said the EU's Lisbon Treaty is compatible with the country's constitution.
The parliament's ratification of the key reform treaty was halted earlier this year pending the ruling by the Constitutional Court. The parliament's ratification of the controversial reform treaty was halted earlier this year pending the ruling by the Constitutional Court.
The treaty, signed in 2007, is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the 27-nation EU. All 27 member states have to ratify it for it to take effect.The treaty, signed in 2007, is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the 27-nation EU. All 27 member states have to ratify it for it to take effect.
The treaty was dealt a heavy blow in June, when Irish voters rejected it.The treaty was dealt a heavy blow in June, when Irish voters rejected it.
Next month the Irish government is expected to present ideas for resolving the deadlock created by the Irish No vote. The No lobby insist there can be no re-run of the June referendum and that "no means no".
Czech President Vaclav Klaus has argued that the treaty would undermine Czech sovereignty.
The Czech court ruling on Wednesday is especially significant because the Czech Republic will take over the six-month rotating EU presidency in January.
The treaty - aimed at reshaping EU institutions to fit the enlarged bloc of 27 nations - was originally meant to be in place in January 2009, well ahead of the European Parliament elections in June 2009.
Critics see the treaty as further evidence of a federalist, pro-integration agenda at work in the EU. They say the treaty is just a modified version of the EU constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.