Duitse gerechtshof geeft voorlopig geen groen licht voor Verdrag van Lissabon (en)
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – Germany's highest court on Tuesday ruled that the EU's new treaty is compatible with German law, so long as the role of the national parliament in EU decision-making is strengthened.
"The German constitution says yes to the Lisbon treaty, but on a national level the parliament has to have a stronger say in EU matters", vice-president of the German constitutional court, Andreas Vosskuhle, said on Tuesday after reading the verdict.
The court in Karlsruhe also said that the treaty and the German constitution would not allow the creation of an "EU federal state" - one of the concerns of the MPs who filed a complaint.
But the 147 page-long ruling suspends the ratification process of the treaty until the German parliament adopts the new provisions requested by the court.
Germany's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of the treaty last year, but the final step of ratification, signature by President Horst Koehler, had not been taken due to the court challenge.
Tuesday's decision may have an impact on the ratification calendar, with Ireland, Poland and the Czech Republic also not having completed the process.
The German parliament (Bundestag) only has few days left until summer recess and there are general elections coming up in September.