Ratification of the Constitutional Treaty in EU-25

Country

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Referendum?

Parliamentary approval

Ratified

Austria

No

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Belgium

No.�The Belgian Constitution does not provide for the possibility of organising a referendum

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The Belgian Senate adopted the bill for the approval of the Constitutional treaty on 28 April. 54 members voted in favour, 9 voted against while 1 abstained. The bill has now been transmitted to the Chamber of Deputies. In parallel also the parliaments of the Regions and the Communities will express their views on the bill.
(Latest update)

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Cyprus

No.

Approval by Parliament probably before the summer vacations 2005. Government submitted bill on 20 January 2005.

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Czech Republic

Yes. The new government declares in its �programme� its intention to prepare an ad hoc draft act allowing a referendum on the Constitutional Treaty.�Disagreement between the government and the opposition about date of referendum.

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Denmark

Yes. A legally binding referendum will take place�on 27�September 2005.�
The parliamentary bill concerning the proposal on the Constitutional Treaty was put forward�by the Government�on 31�March. First reading took place on 19 April�while the second reading�will �take place on 7 June. Third reading expected to take place on 7 September.
�A political agreement concerning the Constitutional Treaty has been adopted by the five �Yes parties� of the�Parliament. The text can be read here.

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Estonia

Not likely.

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Most likely approval by Parliament. Government proposed on 2 September 2004 that the Riigikogu should ratify the constitutional treaty. The decision by the Riigikogu is expected at the beginning of 2005.

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Finland

No.

Government bill approximately September 2005; parliamentary approval early Spring 2006. Formal ratification immediately thereafter (unless constitution process delayed by other Member States).

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France

Yes. The referendum will take place on 29 May 2005. This was announced by President Chirac on�4�March 2005.

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Germany

No. The German constitution does not provide for organising a referendum.

The ratification procedure is expected to be finished by end of May 2005. The Bundetag will approve the Constitutional Treaty on 12 May as decided by the Committee of Elders on 21 April. It is still�not known when the Bunderat will adopt the treaty, but 27 May is a possible date.�

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Greece

No.

The Greek parliament passed the bill to ratify the Constitutional Treaty on 19 April. 268 members of 285 voted in favour. 17 voted against.

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Hungary

No.

The Hungarian Parliament ratified the Constitutional Treaty on 20 December 2004.
323 voted in favour, 12 against, while 8 abstained.

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Ireland

Yes.

The Prime minister told the Parliament on 19 April that the government would attempt to have the Constitutional treaty ratified by the end of 2006.

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Italy

No.

The Chamber�passed the bill to ratify the Treaty on 25 January 2005. 436 members voted in favour, 28 voted against while 5 abstained.
The Senate adopted the bill on 6 April. 217 voted in favour, while 16 voted against.

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Latvia

No.

Most likely ratification in Saeima by mid-2005.

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Lithuania

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No.

Lithuania ratified in Parliament on 11 November 2004. 84 MPs voted for the ratification of the Treaty, 4 MPs were against and 3 abstained.

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Luxembourg

Yes. The referendum will take place on 10 July 2005.

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Malta

No.

Most likely approval by Parliament by mid-July 2005.

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Netherlands

Yes.� The�referendum will take place on 1 June 2005. This was announced on 23 February by a special committee established by the House of Representatives. The bill on a consultative referendum regarding the EU Constitution has been approved by both chambers. For more information click here.

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Poland

Yes. The Polish Foreign Minister, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, said on 21 June 2004, that it would be normal to hold a referendum on the Constitutional Treaty together with the presidential elections, which are due to take place in autumn 2005. But date is not yet decided.

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Portugal

Yes. Prime Minister, Jos� Socrates, proposed that�a referendum on the Constitutional treaty could take place together with local elections in autumn 2005.

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Slovakia

No

The Constitutional Treaty will be ratified in the National Council of the Slovak Republic during the plenary session held in May.

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Slovenia

No

The Treaty has been ratified by the�Parliament on 1 February 2005 by 79 votes to 4.�

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Spain

On 20 February 2005�a majority of 76.73% of Spanish�voters backed the Constitutional Treaty in a non-binding referendum. 17.24% voted against, while 6.03% returned a blank voting paper. Voter turnout was 42.32%.
Government submitted bill to Parliament on 15 April.�The Congress of Deputies ratified the Constituional Treaty on 28 April with 311 votes in favour and 19 against. Now only the approval of the Senate is missing.

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Sweden

No.

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The government plans to submit a draft bill in September 2005. Most likely approval by Parliament in December 2005.

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United Kingdom

Yes. Prime Minister Tony�Blair announced the decision to hold a�referendum in a statement to the House of Commons on 20 April 2004. Date not yet decided. On 26 January 2005 the Government published legislation to ratify the Treaty and to lay the groundwork for a referendum. The European Union Bill to make a referendum possible must be approved by both Houses of Parliament. The text of the Bill and accompanying Explanatory Notes are available on the UK Parliament website:

The European Union Bill, which incorporates the Treaty provisions into UK law and provides for a referendum on ratification,�has been introduced in the House of Commons. It must pass through both Houses to be enacted.

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