European Council sources told EurActiv that the "extra" summit, to be held only a couple of weeks after the 29-30 October Council meeting, is "likely, but has not been confirmed".
A final decision would only become possible once the Czech Republic has completed the country's ratification procedure by signing the Lisbon Treaty into law (EurActiv 26/10/09).
The Czech Constitutional Court is expected to rule tomorrow (27 October) over the last challenge of the treaty's compatibility with Czech law. In the meantime, EU leaders have agreed to give the Czech Republic the guarantees its Eurosceptic President Václav Klaus has requested, though they also insisted that Klaus sign the ratification text without delay.
Speaking to EurActiv Germany at the fringes of a European Federalists' conference in Berlin last week, British Liberal MEP Andrew Duff said that the summit would most likely be held on 12-13 November.
"We haven't heard anything formally from the Swedish Presidency confirming this," a leading Commission source told EurActiv, adding nonetheless that "most people are predicting this will happen".
The discussions - which are expected to take place in the form of a dinner with EU leaders, led by presidency holder Sweden - will centre on the new Lisbon Treaty 'top jobs' – the first permanent Council president and the new high representative for foreign affairs – as well as the nominees and portfolios for the new EU executive.
A week's notice has traditionally been sufficient to prepare heads of state for 'extraordinary' summits. Preparation takes the form of "telephone diplomacy", and bilateral or trilateral mini-summits between key EU players could also take place, observers said.
(With additional reporting from EurActiv Germany.)
