A few days before the Czech Republic takes over the EU Presidency, a series of events have been taking place, with particular focus on the Lisbon Treaty, which will somehow affect the mechanisms of the forthcoming Presidency. After the Czech Prime Minster, Mirek Topolanek, suggested he would wait until early 2009 to put the text to parliamentary vote, allowing himself more time to seek compromise and to settle appease of his eurosceptic party members’ demands on the controversial issues that had brought to a halt the ratification of the reform treaty, a stronger mandate was obtained last week to seek approval of the Treaty.

The main criticism in his own party, perceive the Lisbon Treaty as federalist and as a modified version of the EU constitution. The Czech President, one of the most vociferous opponents to the Treaty, argues that Czech sovereignty would be undermined by the Treaty and says he would refuse to sign the Treaty, despite ratification by parliament. Yet, with 122 votes in his favour, Topolanek is in a much stronger position to approve the Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty, which had been signed by the 27 Heads of the EU Member States a year ago, faced a heavy blow in June when Ireland voted against its ratification through a public referendum. Yet, the Irish government has now promised to present a list of ideas to resolve the deadlock created by the Irish no vote, in the face of the “No” lobby group which persistently asserts that there should be no re-run of the referendum.

The Treaty was originally earmarked to be in place by the beginning of 2009. Ironically, the country holding the Presidency of the EU Council is finding difficulties to endorse it. Last week, on 11 December, a promising agreement by the EU Heads saw the drafting of a roadmap, that might lead to a solution to Ireland’s ratification process for the Lisbon Treaty, being approved by November next year. Tomorrow, the final version of the deal will be submitted for approval by the French Presidency to the European leaders. As is planned in this document, the new Treaty should come into effect in January 2010, even though no specific deadline is mentioned in the document.

Ireland’s Brian Cowen considers the probability that there could be a second referendum. During the European Council meeting, Ireland legally bound the other Member States to agree to a number of issues concerning the Lisbon Treaty, whilst the French EU Presidency saw to it that other Member States’ legal guarantees are also satisfied. These include the number of Commissioners; some guarantees of what the Irish citizens have been concerned about, namely neutrality and the continuation of its constitutional measures, issues on taxation; the six-month EU rotating presidency; and the composition of the European Parliament.

After a two-day meeting with the Czech government, Hans Gert Pottering, President of the European Parliament, stated that the success in the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty depends on whether the Czech Republic manages to ratify this document. The Czech EU Presidency can only be successful if EU members were ready for compromises and mutual approaching.

Brenda Azzopardi is Research Analyst at the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC)