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Germany completes ratification process for Lisbon treaty
Sep 25, 2009, 13:21 GMT
Berlin - President Horst Koehler has signed the ratification document for the EU's Lisbon Treaty, completing the ratification process in Germany, a presidential spokesman said Friday.
The Lisbon Treaty, intended to create a more powerful EU leadership, must be confirmed by all member states before it can come into force.
Ratification still needs to be completed by Ireland, the Czech Republic and Poland. Ireland votes in a second referendum on the treaty October 2, having already rejected it once last year.
Germany's ratification had been slowed by lawsuits earlier this year and a direction by judges to amend domestic legislation so that it clearly set out when Germany's parliament must be consulted on EU matters.
Parliament approved the new legislation this month. After the law was printed in the government gazette, Koehler signed the actual ratification document so it can be lodged with treaty officials in Rome.
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