Treaties

Poland's president approved the European Union reform treaty Saturday, ratcheting up the pressure on the Czech Republic as the only nation yet to sign off on the agreement designed to sharpen EU decision-making and increase the bloc's influence. President Lech Kaczynski signed Poland's ratification of the so-called Lisbon Treaty at a ceremony attended by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and other EU leaders. The deal seeks to strengthen the bloc's institutions after its rapid expansion eastward, and must be ratified by all 27 EU nations.

With the reluctant approval by its 27th and final member, the European Union put eight years of wrangling behind it Tuesday and took a conclusive step toward turning its patchwork of countries into a more unified political force. The Czech Republic's Constitutional Court unanimously rejected a complaint that a treaty to unify and streamline EU decision-making weakened Czech sovereignty. Although still skeptical, Czech President Vaclav Klaus signed the agreement hours later. The treaty, expected to take effect Dec. 1, creates the position of EU president, with a 2 1/2 -year term, in place of the six-month presidency that rotated among member countries.