Civic Democrats pleased with EU summit

Czech politicians are mostly pleased with the result of the EU summit which came to an end in Brussels on Saturday. According to the executive council of the strongest political party, the Civic Democrats, a reform process has been launched that will lead the EU to a truly functioning system of European integration. Civic Democrat MEP Jan Zahradil called the result a turning point from the concept of the creation of a European superstate and European federalism.

European Union leaders clinched agreement on a reform treaty by the end of this year, to be ratified by mid-2009, replacing the EU constitution rejected in 2005 by French and Dutch voters. The new text features neither constitutional nor state symbols and the EU will have a high representative for foreign policy, not a foreign minister. The summit also approved the possible transfer of powers back to member countries, a system of "dual flexibility" that Prague has been supporting.