On 13 December 2007, the Member States of the European Union sign the Treaty of Lisbon, meaning that the ratification process can begin. This article, published by the European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN) in September 2008, offers a general overview of the difficulties in ratifying the treaty encountered across the European Union and presents a detailed analysis of the situation, particularly the national debate that took place in four countries: Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland.

The Czech Republic is the last country to have ratified the Treaty of Lisbon, in November 2009. In this article, published by the European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN) in November 2009, the author sets out to address two questions: how we should understand Czech Euroscepticism, and what direction Czech Eurosceptics are currently heading in.

On 20 December 2007, following a request by the President of the French Republic, the French Constitutional Council delivers a decision indicating that the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon requires a prior revision of the Constitution.

In its judgment of 26 November 2008, the Czech Constitutional Court, following a petition from the Senate, rules that the Treaty of Lisbon is consistent with the constitutional order of the Czech Republic.

On 19 March 2009, the Belgian Constitutional Court dismisses the action for annulment of the Flemish decree of 10 October 2008 approving the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, and the Final Act, signed in Lisbon on 13 December 2007.

On 30 June 2009, the German Constitutional Court delivers its verdict following an action brought by a group of complainants who accuse the Treaty of Lisbon of breaching the Basic Law by weakening the prerogatives of the German Parliament and infringing the principle of democracy. The Court’s decision states that the Treaty complies with the German Basic Law. But the accompanying law (Begleitgesetz) that governs the rights of participation of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat in European affairs is found to violate the Basic Law as it does not give the legislative bodies sufficient rights of participation. The judges rule that it has shortcomings and needs to be improved.

In a ruling handed down on 3 November 2009, the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic declares that the Treaty of Lisbon complies in its entirety with the country’s constitutional order.

The Czech Republic is the last country to have ratified the Treaty of Lisbon, in November 2009. In this article, published by the European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN) in November 2009, the author sets out to address two questions: how we should understand Czech Euroscepticism, and what direction Czech Eurosceptics are currently heading in.

Report No 691 drawn up on behalf of the French Foreign Affairs Committee on bill No 690 authorising the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community and certain related acts. This report is submitted to the presidency of the French National Assembly on 6 February 2008 by MP Hervé de Charrette.

Full minutes of the debates in the French Senate on the parliamentary ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, during the session of Thursday 7 February 2008. These debates follow those held on 4 February 2008, during which the French Parliament, meeting in joint session, adopted a law amending the French Constitution.

Bill of 25 February 2008 authorising Poland’s ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007.

Report drafted by the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Austrian Parliament on 25 March 2008 on the bill for the approval of the Treaty of Lisbon.

On 9 April 2008, the Austrian National Council authorises the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by 151 votes to 27.

On 24 April 2008, the Austrian Federal Council authorises the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, making Austria the seventh European Union Member State to ratify the Treaty.

On 24 April 2008, the Danish Parliament authorises the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by 90 votes to 25.

Opinion by the Luxembourg Council of State of 6 May 2008 on the bill approving the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, the Protocols, Annex and Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference, signed in Lisbon on 13 December 2007.

On 29 May 2008, Luxembourg becomes the 15th European Union Member State to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon, when the Chamber of Deputies adopts the bill approving the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, the Protocols, the Annex and the Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference. The text is approved by 47 members of parliament, with one member voting against and three abstentions.

On 26 June 2008, the Spanish Congress votes on the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, with 322 members voting for, 6 against and 2 abstentions.

On 15 July 2008, Spain becomes the 23rd European Union country to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon after the Senate votes overwhelmingly in favour of the text, adopting it by 232 votes to 6.

On 6 May 2009, the Senate of the Czech Republic authorises the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by 54 votes to 20.

On 9 October 2009, the President of the Czech Republic, Václav Klaus, sets out the reason for his refusal to sign the act approving the Treaty of Lisbon and calls for an exemption from the Charter of Fundamental Rights of European Union.

Bill authorising Spanish ratification of the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon, adopted on 12 February 2013 by the Congress of Deputies.

On 25 March 2013, the Spanish Senate adopts the Bill authorising Spanish ratification of the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon.

Opinion by the Luxembourg Council of State on 4 June 2013 on the bill approving the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon.

On 13 November 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, gives an address to the European Parliament in which he outlines the reasons for the negative result in the French and Dutch referendums on the 2004 Constitutional Treaty. While praising the progress on institutional questions made by the new amending treaty, due to be signed in Lisbon on 13 December 2007, the French President emphasises the need to resolve the political questions which remain.

On 13 December 2007, the Member States of the European Union sign the Treaty of Lisbon, meaning that the ratification process can begin. This article, published by the European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN) in September 2008, offers a general overview of the difficulties in ratifying the treaty encountered across the European Union and presents a detailed analysis of the situation, particularly the national debate that took place in four countries: Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland.

On 26 February 2008, the Irish Government approves the 28th amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, published on 6 March 2008, is essential to enable Ireland to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon, in reference to the 1987 decision by the Supreme Court in the Crotty v. An Taoiseach case.

This report is the result of a survey carried out from 13 to 15 June 2008 at the request of the European Commission Representation in Ireland following the negative referendum of 12 June 2008. The main aim of the survey was to understand the reasons for non-participation in the referendum and the reasons for the Irish ‘no’ vote.

John Bruton, European Union Ambassador to the United States and former Irish Prime Minister, gives an address to the parliamentary Sub-Committee on the future of Ireland in the European Union in which he shares his reaction to the negative result of the referendum held in June 2008.

The Sub-Committee on Ireland’s future in the European Union was set up within the Irish Parliament to analyse the challenges facing Ireland in the European Union (EU) after the negative result in the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon in June 2008. It is called to reflect on Ireland’s future in the EU, to make recommendations on strengthening the Irish Parliament’s role in European affairs and to consider measures to improve public understanding of the EU.

After the Irish ‘no’ vote in the referendum held in June 2008, a new referendum is scheduled for 2 October 2009. On 8 July 2009, in order to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon, the Irish Government introduces a bill for the 28th amendment to the Constitution.

The 27 Heads of State or Government meeting in Brussels on 18 and 19 June 2009 reach agreement on the guarantees given to Ireland in exchange for a second referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon, to be held in early October 2009.

After the Irish ‘yes’ vote to the Treaty of Lisbon, the ratification process for the treaty can continue. On 21 October 2009, the members of the lower house of the Irish Parliament vote on the treaty.