EU summiteers seek to avoid paralysis over treaty
EU leaders will meet in Brussels Thursday, eager to show that Europe can tackle pressing issues such as soaring oil prices, while handling the crisis caused by Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. The 27 heads of state and government received a boost late Wednesday when the British parliament approved the treaty, designed to bring the EU's creaking institutions up to date to deal with an ever-expanding bloc. After a stormy debate the unelected upper House of Lords effectively ratified the treaty.
Britain, one of the biggest and most eurosceptic member states, thus became the first nation to push forward with the treaty since Irish voters firmly rejected it in a referendum a week ago. The bill is set to go for Royal Assent by Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday morning, hours before British Prime Minister Gordon Brown takes his place at the Brussels summit. To further show that the treaty has not been killed off by the Irish "no" vote, the European leaders are set to confirm that the eight nations still to ratify the text should continue to do so via the parliamentary route.
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