The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a challenge to the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, paving the way for Czech President Vaclav Klaus to sign it.

In a keenly awaited decision, the court ruled that the treaty – an overhaul of the EU’s institutional rules and laws – is compatible with Czech national law.

The treaty “is not in conflict with the constitutional law of the Czech Republic,” Pavel Rychetsky, the court’s chief justice, told state TV on Tuesday (3 November).

The case had been brought by a group of 17 senators and came on the back of a similar though narrower challenge last year, which the top Czech judges also dismissed.

The Czech Republic is the last EU member state to fully ratify the treaty. The process has been held up by Mr Klaus, a eurosceptic and arch opponent of the document.

The Czech president indicated he was pleased with the deal and would sign the treaty. But it remains unclear when this will happen.

Read more here.

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