Germany ratifies EU Lisbon Treaty

According to EUbusiness 23 September 2009 Germany ratifies the EU’s Lisbon reform treaty: Federal President Horst Köhler has signed the ratification instrument, as attributed to a spokesman. (I found no confirmation on the President’s web site.)


If the information is correct, the purists may still argue that the ratification instrument has to deposited in Rome, for the ratification process to be complete, but does anyone doubt the ability of the German diplomatic service in this respect?

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Three to go


After Germany, only three ratifications remain uncompleted:

• Ireland, where the Lisbon II referendum takes place on 2 October 2009, promising an Irish Commissioner and offering assurances on sensitive issues
• Poland, where President Lech Kaczynski has withheld his signature despite parliamentary approval of the Lisbon Treaty
• The Czech Republic, where a few defeated henchmen of President Vaclav Klaus do their utmost to paralyse the European Union by a new legal challenge

In addition, at sub-state level the Legal Committee of the Åland Parliament has still to produce a report on the application of the Lisbon Treaty in this autonomous region of Finland.



Ralf Grahn

Horst Köhler: Germany in Europe

Germany has reviewed its great transformation and paid tribute to its 60 year old written Constitution. In his speech, President Horst Köhler evoked the role of Germany in Europe, on the day before he was elected for a second term:


„Wir sind eine freie, geeinte Nation, und wir sind glücklich darüber. Dabei wissen wir: Ohne unsere Freunde in Europa, ohne die europäische Friedensordnung und den Gemeinsamen Markt hätten wir vieles nicht erreicht. Deshalb stehen wir zu unserer Verantwortung als Motor der europäischen Einigung. Deshalb liegt uns am Herzen, was aus Europa wird. Und deshalb sollten wir alle am 7. Juni zur Europawahl gehen und damit ein Zeichen setzen. Auch da entscheidet sich unsere Zukunft.“

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The European Union is team play. You play for your team, not against it. You are given, but you give in return.

It does not make everything hunky-dory, but the basic aims and the feeling of responsibility are there.



Ralf Grahn