THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) ep/constitution/belgium

Belgium has become 14th Member State to ratify - Jo Leinen calls mainly on Nordic EU countries to go with new thrust - Pat Cox willing to contribute to permanent debate

Brussels, 09/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 8 February, the Flemish parliament approved the draft European Constitution by 84 votes to 29 and one abstention, thus making Belgium the 14th Member State of the EU to ratify the text (in Belgium the approval of seven assemblies was needed: House and Senate at federal level, parliaments of the Wallonia and Flanders regions, parliaments of the French and German-speaking Communities, and the parliament of the Brussels region).

Speaking at the...