Czech court to rule on key EU reform treaty

The Czech Republic's top court is expected to pass a verdict Tuesday that could push the European Union's key Lisbon Treaty within one step of full ratification, eagerly awaited by the 27-member bloc.

If the constitutional court rules that the text -- designed to streamline EU governance -- is in line with the country's constitution, it will pave the way for eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus to ratify the document.

His signature will effectively put the treaty in force as Klaus is the last EU leader holding out on signing the text that must be ratified by all members to take effect.

"Under international law, the final signature is the moment from which the country deems the international document valid," said Vlastimil Goettinger, the top Czech court's adviser for foreign relations.

"Since everyone else has signed, (the treaty) is binding for us at the moment of (Klaus's) signature," he told AFP on Monday.

The court delayed its verdict on the complaint, lodged by pro-Klaus lawmakers, after a hearing on October 27.

Klaus, a staunch opponent of the treaty which he describes as threatening Czech sovereignty, said he would not sign before the verdict, although the country's lawmakers had approved the document this year.

On the other hand, the top court banned him from signing pending its verdict.

Klaus himself has not yet spelt out when he will sign, but said Friday he would not pose any further obstacles to the treaty, a day after EU leaders agreed to give his country an opt-out from the treaty which he had demanded.

On the same day, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the treaty "will enter into force doubtless as early as December 1."

Klaus had sought an opt-out to ensure that a rights charter which is part of the treaty would not allow ethnic Germans forced out of the former Czechoslovakia after World War II on charges of Nazi collaboration to reclaim their property.

The Lisbon treaty is designed to streamline the running of the 27-nation bloc after it has almost doubled in size since a swathe of ex-communist nations including the Czech Republic joined in 2004.

With the current impasse, the European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- can only function as a caretaker after its mandate expired at the end of October.

The EU also has to wait with the nominations for the top two EU jobs -- the EU president and foreign affairs supremo -- until Klaus signs.

Backers of the treaty meanwhile got more good news on Tuesday as a British newspaper said that main opposition leader David Cameron -- widely tipped to be the next prime minister -- will drop plans for a referendum on the treaty.

Cameron will shortly announce he will abandon a pledge to hold a vote on the treaty if his party wins the next general election and the document has not been ratified, the Daily Telegraph said.

"We have to realistic and once the Czech court rules, we will have to accept the new reality. We might not wait for Klaus," a source was quoted saying by the newspaper.

Cameron had written to the Czech president urging him to delay ratifying the treaty, sparking anger from the leaders of France, Germany and Spain, media reports said last week.