European Union project is back on course

Czech President Vaclav Klaus yesterday signed the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty, allowing the 27-member bloc to move forward with the reform of its institutions after weeks of uncertainty. Klaus announced his ratification hours after the Czech Republic’s Constitutional Court ruled unanimously that the treaty did not clash with the country’s constitution and did not pose a risk to the country’s sovereignty.

There was much relief in Brussels. EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso hailed the Czech decision and said: “I hope that now all the obstacles are removed and you’ll have this Lisbon treaty coming to force.”

The progress of the reform plan, which will give the EU greater powers over individual members, has been painful to observe. Ireland voted against it in a referendum but bowed to immense pressure and held another one last month that the public embraced.

Klaus had repeated many times that the treaty would be detrimental to his country and said that he would sign it only if the EU promises that the attached Charter of Fundamental Rights would not allow ethnic Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia in 1945 to reclaim their homes.

However, it is the reaction in Britain that has exposed the lack of harmony among the 27 members of the bloc. Prime Minister Gordon Brown was fast out of the blocks yesterday to welcome the Czech signing of the treaty and that was no surprise. “Today is a day when Europe looks forward, when it sets aside years of debate on its institutions, and moves to take strong and collective action on the issues that matter most to European citizens: security, climate change, jobs and growth,” he said.

There is political mileage here for being so effusive and not just because Brown is lobbying for his predecessor Tony Blair to become the first president of the EU. Opposition leader David Cameron has stated publicly that he would hold a referendum if, as expected, the Conservatives are elected at the next general election.

However, it now appears that he will be forced to abandon his pledge after failing to convince the Czech government to delay ratifying the treaty until the UK heads to the polls. This stance has angered the leaders of France, Germany and Spain.

Yesterday, Cameron said he would soon set out his plans on the question of a referendum, conceding that “time is running out”. His change of approach is likely to alienate the many eurosceptics inside his party and also cause consternation among voters who polls suggest are not in favour of closer ties with Brussels.

Critics have warned that any attempt to re-open the treaty once it has been settled by the rest of the member states would be doomed to failure and could put Britain on a course that would see it forced out of the EU altogether.