THE HAGUE, 25/04/07 - Sweden and the Czech Republic, following the example of the Netherlands, do not want the rejected EU Constitution to be adopted after all. This has been made clear by government leaders of the two countries in meetings with their Dutch counterparts.

Both Sweden and the Czech Republic are among the seven EU countries that have not yet ratified the Constitution. Eighteen countries did do so earlier. The Netherlands is trying to build support particularly among the non-ratifying countries for its view that there should be a conventional 'amending treaty.'

Swedish Premier Fredrik Rheinfeldt agreed following a meeting with Premier Jan Peter Balkenende in The Hague that he too favours an 'amending treaty' rather than a constitution. According to Rheinfeldt, who has led a conservative government since last autumn, many Europeans saw the Union as a super-state in the concept of 'Constitution' from the former treaty - even if these fears were in his view not justified. Balkenende stressed that both he and Rheinfeldt consider a new treaty must have the support of all 27 EU member states.

The Czech Republic is also to a substantial degree in agreement with the Netherlands' line. European Affairs State Secretary Frans Timmermans, who visited his Czech counterpart Alexander Vondra in Prague, said Vondra to a great extent shares the Dutch position that national parliaments should have more powers.

Last week, the Netherlands and the UK showed themselves to be to a large degree like-minded. The UK has also not ratified the Constitution. The open support of the UK, Sweden and the Czech Republic is important, according to Timmermans. He noted that not all three of these previously held the position they are now taking.