EU summit removes last political hurdle for Lisbon Treaty
10:42, October 31, 2009 
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European Union leaders removed one of the last hurdles facing the reformed Lisbon Treaty after giving the Czech Republic an opt-out in relation to the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country is holding the EU Presidency, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L to R) talk at the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Oct. 30, 2009. Leaders of 27 EU member states held a two-day summit since Thursday to discuss about climate change, financing, EU institutional and economic issues. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
The summit agreed to grant the Czechs the exemption in a manner that was acceptable to neighboring countries, EU presidency Sweden's Prime Minsiter Fredrik Reinfeldt told reporters after the first session of the two-day summit.
The concession was demanded by Czech President Vaclav Klaus as the price for abandoning his one-man campaign to sabotage the treaty, which will create the post of a permanent EU president.
"We have removed the last political hurdle," European Commission President Jose Barroso said.
The treaty, which aims to streamline the bloc's institutions and increase its global influence, is expected to take effect at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (R, front), whose country is holding the EU Presidency, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L, front) talk at the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Oct. 30, 2009. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
Former British prime minister Tony Blair was said to be the front runner for the new presidential post with Luxembourg's leader Jean-Claude Juncker.
Leaders of the bloc will talk about names of candidates for the job after an expected ratification next week by the Czech supreme court.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, a euro-sceptic, refused to sign the ratification documents of the treaty until winning assurances that the new rulebook wouldn't open the possibility of property claims by ethnic Germans -- or their descendants -- who were expelled after World War II.
Source: Xinhua
European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country is holding the EU Presidency, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L to R) talk at the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Oct. 30, 2009. Leaders of 27 EU member states held a two-day summit since Thursday to discuss about climate change, financing, EU institutional and economic issues. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
The summit agreed to grant the Czechs the exemption in a manner that was acceptable to neighboring countries, EU presidency Sweden's Prime Minsiter Fredrik Reinfeldt told reporters after the first session of the two-day summit.
The concession was demanded by Czech President Vaclav Klaus as the price for abandoning his one-man campaign to sabotage the treaty, which will create the post of a permanent EU president.
"We have removed the last political hurdle," European Commission President Jose Barroso said.
The treaty, which aims to streamline the bloc's institutions and increase its global influence, is expected to take effect at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (R, front), whose country is holding the EU Presidency, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L, front) talk at the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Oct. 30, 2009. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
Former British prime minister Tony Blair was said to be the front runner for the new presidential post with Luxembourg's leader Jean-Claude Juncker.
Leaders of the bloc will talk about names of candidates for the job after an expected ratification next week by the Czech supreme court.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, a euro-sceptic, refused to sign the ratification documents of the treaty until winning assurances that the new rulebook wouldn't open the possibility of property claims by ethnic Germans -- or their descendants -- who were expelled after World War II.
Source: Xinhua
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90856/6799646.pdf