The upper house of the Czech parliament is set to vote on whether to approve the European Union's Lisbon Treaty.
The upper house of the Czech parliament has voted to approve the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, removing one of its few remaining obstacles.
The Czech Republic - current holder of the EU's rotating presidency - is one of the last countries yet to ratify the reform treaty.
Czech ratification will not be complete until signed by President Vaclav Klaus, a renowned Eurosceptic who says he is in no hurry.
It was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last June but Dublin plans to hold another vote this year after securing sovereignty "guarantees".
The reform treaty still has to be ratified in the Republic of Ireland, where voters have rejected it once.
The treaty cannot take effect unless all 27 EU member states ratify it.
The treaty cannot take effect unless all 27 EU member states ratify it.
The Czech lower house voted 125 to 61 to adopt the document, aimed at streamlining EU institutions to make them more flexible after the 27-nation bloc's enlargement in recent years.
The Czech Senate voted 54-20 in favour of the treaty, aimed at streamlining EU institutions to make them more flexible after the 27-nation bloc's enlargement in recent years.
Misgivings
Its passage had depended on many members of the conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS) led by Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, putting their doubts aside and backing the plan.
Informal polls conducted by several Czech newspapers suggest the Lisbon Treaty will pass the Czech senate, but only just, the BBC's Rob Cameron in Prague says.
Some Civic Democrat senators have already vowed to send the Lisbon Treaty back to the constitutional court.
They predict that enough senators from the conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS) led by Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who signed the treaty, will ignore their misgivings and vote in favour.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus - perhaps the treaty's highest profile opponent - has argued that the treaty would undermine Czech sovereignty. He has not said when he will sign it.
Several Civic Democrat senators have already vowed to send the Lisbon Treaty back to the constitutional court.
Hurdles remain
Czech President Vaclav Klaus - perhaps the treaty's highest profile opponent - has argued that the treaty would undermine Czech sovereignty. He has not said when he will sign it, if it is approved by the Senate.
Only the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Ireland have yet to complete ratification of the treaty.
LISBON TREATY PROGRESS Approved by parliament: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UKDefeated by referendum: Irish RepublicChallenges: Legal objections delaying ratification in Germany, Polish president also delaying ratification, Czech upper house yet to vote on treaty
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, another Eurosceptic, says he will not sign the treaty until it is passed in Ireland, even though the Polish parliament has approved it.
The treaty is seen by opponents as a way to impose a federalist agenda, undermining national sovereignty.
In Germany legal objections are delaying ratification, though parliament has passed it.
There is pressure from some Czech politicians to delay ratification until parliament backs the plan to host a radar base for a US missile defence shield.
In Ireland itself, the government plans to hold a second referendum this year after securing sovereignty "guarantees".
The Republic of Ireland was the only EU member state to hold a referendum on Lisbon. Other governments argue that it is an amending treaty which does not change the EU enough to justify a referendum.
In Germany the treaty has gone before the constitutional court. Poland's President Lech Kaczynski is also delaying ratification, insisting that the Irish battle over Lisbon must be resolved first.
