Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer plans to hand over his country"s ratification papers of the European Union Lisbon Treaty in Rome next week, thus ensuring that the text can come into force on December 1, dpa cited the premier"s office as saying today. The Czech Republic was the last of the EU"s 27 member states to complete the treaty"s ratification, with President Vaclav Klaus signing it on Tuesday. Under EU rules, all ratification papers must be deposited in Rome 15 days before the end of the month for the pact to become valid on the first day of the following month. Fischer is planning to take the Czech ratification to the Italian capital in person two days before this month"s technical deadline, on November 13. All amendments to the bloc"s founding Treaty of Rome, such as the Lisbon Treaty, are deposited in the Italian capital. Klaus, an avowed Eurosceptic, had posed two conditions for his signature - clearance from the country"s constitutional court, and an opt-out for the Czech Republic from a part of the reform accord, the EU"s Charter of Fundamental Rights. EU leaders agreed to the op-out at a summit last week, while the Czech court"s go-ahead came just hours before Klaus" signature. While Klaus signed the accord in the absence of cameras and away from the public eye, Fischer"s office said that the premier plans to personally deliver the ratification documents to Italy"s Foreign Ministry.
