Czech lower house approves Croatian EU accession treaty

The lower house of Parliament on Thursday approved a draft of a treaty on Croatia’s EU accession in the first reading. The draft is set to be discussed by the lower house’s foreign affairs committee before being put to the final vote. A majority of three fifths is required for the ratification of the treaty by the Czech parliament and is expected to be reached. It then will have to be signed into law by Czech President Václav Klaus. All 27 EU members have to ratify Croatia’s accession treaty prior to the country joining the union.

Originally, the Czech government had planned to link the vote on the treaty with a vote on the Czech opt-out from the EU Charter of Fundamental Freedoms. However, the opposition opposes the opt-out and putting both issues to a combined vote could have jeopardized the treaty. Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003. Accession talks closed last June.