EU extends constitution ratification deadline to 2007 News
EU extends constitution ratification deadline to 2007

[JURIST] Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker [official profile], whose country currently holds the EU Presidency [official website], said Thursday that EU leaders have decided to extend the ratification deadline [JURIST report] for the proposed European constitution until at least 2007. The announcement came after the first day of an EU "crisis summit" [press release regarding agenda] forced to address the treaty's future in the wake of "No" votes in France [JURIST report] and the Netherlands [JURIST report]. An original ratification deadline of November 2006 was deemed to be "no longer tenable" according to Juncker. Britain first cancelled its referendum [JURIST report] last week; Denmark has since followed suit and Irish officials say their government is likely to shelve its vote. Some of the 25 countries attending the summit called for a definite break in the ratification process, but Belgium, German and French leaders disagreed. Reuters has more.