Brussels - EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Friday invited the bloc's remaining member states to go ahead and ratify the Lisbon Treaty, in spite of its rejection by voters in Ireland. "The remaining ratification processes should maintain their course," Barroso told reporters in Brussels.
The treaty has to date been endorsed by the national parliaments of 18 EU countries. But Ireland's rejection has cast serious doubts over its future.
Eight national parliaments still need to ratify it, including those of Britain, the Netherlands and Italy.
"The treaty is alive, and we should now try to find a solution," Barroso said.
Noting that the treaty had been signed by all 27 heads of governments and state of the bloc, Barroso said the future of the treaty would take the fore at an EU summit scheduled to take place in Brussels next week.
The Lisbon Treaty, which replaced a failed attempt to create an EU constitution, is designed to speed up decision-making in the enlarged bloc. It also aims to give it a greater voice in world affairs.
"The (Irish) no has not solved the problems that the treaty was designed to resolve," Barroso said.
The commission head said he had invited the Irish government to explain the motives behind the no vote.
