European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee has called on European Union (EU)leaders to reach agreement at their December summit, allowing Ireland to ratify the Lisbon Treaty in spring 2009, in time for European Parliament elections in June 2009.
The committee adopted a resolution on Monday, inviting the Irish government to put forward concrete proposals on the way forward after the "no" vote in June 2008, reported Xinhua.
"If the Lisbon Treaty does not enter into force before the parliamentary elections next year, EU citizens will be deprived of important new democratic rights in the EU," said resolution rapporteur and committee chairman Jo Leinen before the vote.
A majority of committee members expressed the conviction that the Irish concerns that prompted the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty can be met without amending the text, as already ratified by 24 EU member states.
The committee called on Sweden and the Czech Republic to complete their ratification procedures before the end of 2008. They also called on the Irish authorities to put forward proposals to resume ratification.
"There is no plausible reason why a second referendum in Ireland should be easier to win after the European Parliament elections than before," said Leinen.
Committee members also pointed out that if the treaty is not ratified before the June 2009 elections, then this would affect, among others, the composition of the new European Parliament and the European Commission, the appointment of the EU's high representative for foreign policy and the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Lisbon Treaty, signed by EU leaders in December 2007, provides for different numbers of European Parliament members and EU commissioners.
The committee resolution will be put to a European Parliament plenary vote just before the December EU summit.