Netherlands ratifies EU's troubled Lisbon Treaty 

Without surprises, a large majority of the Senate (60 to 15) voted in favour of the treaty, which replaced the EU Constitution rejected by Dutch voters in a referendum held in 2005. 

Only the extreme-left party SP, the Christian party SPG and an animal rights party voted against the text. 

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso welcomed the ratification. 

"I want to thank the Dutch government and Parliament for their strong support for the treaty as shown by the large majority in today's vote," Barroso said in a statement. "I believe that today's approval of the treaty is a strong signal of how important it is that all member states are heard during the ratification process." 

Joseph Daul MEP, the chairman of the centre-right EPP-ED Group, the largest in the European Parliament, also conveyed his gratitude to the Dutch and to the EPP-ED's member party, the Christian Democrat CDA party of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. 

"It is of great importance to continue the ratification process of the Treaty in the remaining member states who have not yet done so. The Lisbon Treaty offers the necessary instruments to make Europe stronger and to achieve a better European future for all Europeans," stated Daul. 

Indeed, the number of countries who have not yet ratified the Lisbon Treaty is shrinking. The UK and Cyprus ratified the text after the failed Irish referendum and Spain also made a decisive step, the last stage of the ratification there being only a formality. Ratification remains problematic in the Czech Republic (EurActiv 01/07/08) and Poland (EurActiv 20/06/08) as well as in Germany, where President Horst Köhler announced he will not sign until the Constitutional Court rules over legal challenges filed against the text. 

The Swedish coalition government said on 3 July that it has started the process of ratifying the Lisbon Treaty in Parliament. The Swedish assembly will vote on the treaty in the autumn.