5stringJeff
Senior Member
European Parliament Endorses EU Constitution
Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:55 AM ET
By Lisa Jucca
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - The European Parliament overwhelmingly endorsed the European Union's first constitution on Wednesday but the treaty will only come into force if all 25 member states ratify it, several by referendums.
The EU legislature voted 500 to 137 for a resolution backing the constitutional treaty, with 40 abstentions -- part of the lengthy ratification process expected to last up to two years.
Two countries, Lithuania and Hungary, have ratified the charter by parliamentary vote so far. But its fate will be sealed in referendums in countries including France, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland and above all Britain, where approval is far from certain.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7306829
Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:55 AM ET
By Lisa Jucca
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - The European Parliament overwhelmingly endorsed the European Union's first constitution on Wednesday but the treaty will only come into force if all 25 member states ratify it, several by referendums.
The EU legislature voted 500 to 137 for a resolution backing the constitutional treaty, with 40 abstentions -- part of the lengthy ratification process expected to last up to two years.
Two countries, Lithuania and Hungary, have ratified the charter by parliamentary vote so far. But its fate will be sealed in referendums in countries including France, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland and above all Britain, where approval is far from certain.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7306829
