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News item | 09-07-2008
The Netherlands has approved the Treaty of Lisbon. After the House of Representatives, now the Senate has agreed to the Treaty's terms.
Foreign minister Maxime Verhagen and European affairs minister Frans Timmermans are delighted that the Treaty's approval won a large majority in the Senate.
The House of Representatives approved the Lisbon Treaty by a large majority on 5 June 2008. Now that the Senate has also done so, the Dutch parliamentary approval procedure is complete. This makes the Netherlands the 21st EU member state to approve the Treaty, which will become effective only once all 27 member states have done so.
'The Lisbon Treaty strengthens the position of national parliaments in Europe while placing clearer boundaries on the powers of the EU and the member states. It's a modest Treaty without constitutional aspirations', says Mr Verhagen.
Frans Timmermans also stresses the importance of the Dutch approval of the Lisbon Treaty. 'This Treaty is essential to making the European Union work more decisively and democratically.'
An important obstacle to the Treaty's progress is the result of the Irish referendum. On 15 October, EU heads of government will discuss the way forward following the Irish 'no' to the Lisbon Treaty.
09-07-2008