EU awaits Czech verdict on Lisbon

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The Czech Constitutional Court is expected to deliver its verdict on objections to the European Union's Lisbon Treaty.

If the court rejects the challenge from Eurosceptic senators - as is expected - all that is left is for President Vaclav Klaus to sign the document.

That would pave the way for the treaty to come into effect throughout the EU on 1 December.

The Czech Republic is the only one of 27 EU states yet to ratify the treaty.

It is regarded as crucial if the organisation is to run efficiently.

Promised opt-out

For the EU, there are only two hurdles left - the challenge to the Constitutional Court and President Klaus's signature. But both appear less daunting than a few weeks ago.

The court has heard all the arguments and is expected to brush aside the senators' complaints.

Mr Klaus, meanwhile, appears satisfied with a promised opt-out from the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. He says he will place no further obstacles in Lisbon's path.

However, the Czech Republic has a seemingly endless capacity to throw up last-minute surprises, and the EU will surely be taking nothing for granted.

Senators have been submitting a series of additional objections.

The latest batch arrived on Friday, although a spokesman for the court says that this will not prevent judges from announcing their verdict.

As for Mr Klaus, he is leaving for the US on Wednesday and is likely to want time to digest the court's findings before he signs on the dotted line.