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The
ratification process following the signature of the Nice Treaty
on 26/2/2000 was plagued by difficulties In all the EU member states
the Treaty of Nice was ratified by parliamentary procedure, except
in Ireland, where the Irish Supreme Court in an earlier judgment
on the Single European Act had ruled that fundamental changes to
European Treaties, which alter the Irish Constitution's recognition
of sovereignty as being ultimately derived from the People, require
an amendment to the Irish constitution. Ireland's constitution can
only be amended by a referendum of the people. |
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To the surprise
of Europe's political classes, the voters in Ireland rejected
the Nice Treaty in May 2001. The turnout itself was low (34%).
The Irish government, having obtained the Seville Declaration
on Ireland's policy of military neutrality from the European Council,
decided to have another referendum on the Treaty of Nice on Saturday,
October 19, 2002. The result was a 60% "Yes" vote on
near double the turn-out of the previous referendum.
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| Austria |
Draft
constitutional law adopted unanimously by the Nationalrat on 23/10/2001
and by the Bundesrat on 8/11/2001. Draft ratification law adopted
unanimously by the Nationalrat on 21/11/2001 and by the Bundesrat
on 14/12/2001. Signed by the president on 14/12/2001. Deposit of instrument
on 8/1/2002. |
| Belgium |
Adopted
by Senate (7/3/2002), Chamber (28/3/2002 -- 106 for, 26 against, 7
abstentions), French Community (23/4/2002), Waloon Region (29/5/2002),
German Community (24/6/2002), Flemish Region (19/6/2002) and Brussels
Region (2/7/2002). Deposit of instrument on 26/8/2002. |
| Denmark |
Draft ratification
law adopted by Parliament (Folketing) on 1/6/2002 (98 for, 14 against,
1 abstention). Signed by the Queen on 7/6/2001 (Act No. 499). Deposit
of instrument on 13/6/2002. |
| Finland |
Approved by Parliament
(Eduskunta) on 14/12/2001 (170 for, 9 against, 20 abstentions). Signed
by the President on 4/1/2002. Adopted by the Aland Assembly on 25/1/2002.
Deposit of instrument on 29/1/2002. |
| France |
Draft ratification
law adopted by the National Assembly on 12/6/2001 (407 for, 27 against,
113 abstentions). Adopted by Senate on 28/6/2001 (288 for, 8 against).
Deposit of instrument on 19/10/2001. |
| Germany |
Adopted by the
Bundestag on 18/10/2001 (570 for, 32 against, 2 abstentions) and by
the Bundesrat on 9/11/2001 (unanimously). Signed by the President
on 21/12/2001. Deposit of instrument on 11/2/2002. |
| Greece |
Adopted by the
Chamber on 20 March 2002 (253 for, 10 against, 3 abstentions). Deposit
of instrument on 3/06/2002. |
| Ireland |
Rejected by referendum
(7/6/2001, 53.87% of "no" votes). After a national debate,
a second referendum is held on 19/10/2002 and the Treaty is approved
(62.89% of "yes" votes). Adopted by Senead on 20/11/2002
and by Dail on 28/11/2002. Deposit of instrument on 18/12/2002.
More background
information... |
| Italy |
Adopted by the
Camera omn 26 March 2002 (298 for, 7 against, 6 abstentions). Adopted
by the Senat by a very large majority (show of hands) on 7 May 2002.
Deposit of instrument on 09/07/2002. |
| Luxembourg |
Adopted by the
Chamber of Deputies on 12/7/2001 (57 for, 1 against, 2 abstentions).
Act sanctioned by the Grand Duke on 1/8/2001. Deposit of instrument
on 24/9/2001. |
| Netherlands |
Draft ratification
law adopted by Tweede Kamer on 18/6/2001 (by very large majority --show
of hands) and by the Eerste Kamer on 19/12/2001. Deposit of instrument
on 28/12/2001. |
| Portugal |
Draft ratification
law adopted by the Assembly (Assambleia da República) on 25/10/2001
(211 for, 19 against). Signed by the President on 11/12/2001. Deposit
of instrument on 18/1/2002. |
| Spain |
Adopted by the
Chamber of Deputies (Congreso) on 4/10/2001 (290 for, 6 abstentions)
and by the Senate (Senado) on 24/10/2001 (213 for, 2 abstentions).
Royal assent given on 10/12/2001. Deposit of instrument on 27/12/2001. |
| Sweden |
Draft ratification
adopted by Parliament (Riksday) on 6/12/2001 (249 for, 51 against,
4 abstentions). Deposit of instrument on 25/1/2002. |
| United
Kingdom |
Adopted by the
House of Commons on 17/10/2001 (392 for, 158 against) and by the House
of Lords on 1/11/2001 (no vote). Royal assent granted on 26/2/2002).
Deposit of instrument on 25/7/2002. |
Note: The above
facts have been drawn mainly from this
document held on the Europa
server.
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