THURSDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2008
The Riksdag has decided to approve the EU’s Lisbon Treaty. The adoption of the Lisbon treaty was approved late on Thursday 20 November by 243 votes to 39 at 11:30 pm local time, with 13 abstentions and 54 members absent from the 349-seat legislature. The voting took place after a 9-hour debate. The Riksdag also approved the transfer of decision-making rights to the EU required by the Lisbon Treaty by means of an amendment to Sweden’s EU Accession Act. The EU heads of state and government agreed on a new EU Treaty, the Lisbon Treaty, in 2007. In order for the Treaty to apply, it has to be ratified in all EU member states. The Lisbon Treaty includes such aspects as new rules for decision-making in the Council of Ministers, fewer EU commissioners and a permanent president for EU summit meetings of heads of state and government. The Riksdag noted that with the Lisbon Treaty, EU member states can take more effective action on cross-border matters. According to the Riksdag, the Lisbon Treaty is better than the treaty currently in force and strengthens the EU in some important areas.
Press release