Czech President signs Lisbon Treaty

Czech President Vaclav Klaus has signed the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, bringing into force the EU's plan, to overhaul its institutions and have a greater role on the world stage.

Klaus, who has been skeptical of the Treaty, finally signed the document Tuesday. He is the last EU leader to ratify the pact.

His signature came hours after the country's Constitutional Court ruled the pact does not violate the Czech constitution.

Klaus says he respects the decision, but doesn't agree with it. He fears the Treaty would hand over too many national powers to EU institutions in Brussels.

Klaus said, "I cannot agree with its content because once the Lisbon Treaty enters into force, despite the constitutional court's opinion, the Czech Republic will cease to be a sovereign state."

With his signature, it means all 27 member states ratified the treaty.

Map of the EU showing the countries that have ratified the Lisbon  Treaty. The Czech Republic's top court has ruled that the European  Union's reform treaty is legal, piling pressure on President Vaclav  Klaus to become the final EU leader to sign the landmark document  into law.(AFP/Graphic/Laurence Saubadu)