Brussels, 16/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 15 July, Spain became the 21st member state to have ratified the Lisbon Treaty (the process will be finally completed with King Juan Carlos' formal signature expected for the end of the week). On Tuesday, the Spanish Senate approved the new treaty by 232 votes to 6, thus making official the ratification already validated by the House of Representatives. “I believe that the approval of the treaty (in Spain) is a clear confirmation of the determination to move forward with the ratification process so that all member states express their positions during the ratification process”, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso states in a communiqué. The president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, states in another that the EU's “top priority” must be to have the Lisbon Treaty in force at the time of the European elections in June 2009.
As well as Ireland, five member states have still to make their ratification process official: - the Czech Republic, Italy, Sweden, Germany and Poland. In these last two countries, the parliaments have already approved the treaty, but the presidents have still to sign the law for ratification. (H.B./transl.jl)