Rome, Nov 13, SPA -- The final step in the arduous process of getting theEuropean Union"s reform treaty ready for implementation took placetoday in Rome when Czech Foreign Minister Jan Fischer handed overhis country"s ratification document, according to dpa. With the Czech document - the last among those handed over by the27 EU member states - the Lisbon Treaty can now take effect onDecember 1, officials said. Italian government spokesman Roman Prorok confirmed to the GermanPress Agency dpa that Fischer had handed over the document, whichCzech President Vaclav Klaus signed on November 3. The ratification process for the Lisbon Treaty got underway onDecember 13, 2007 in Lisbon, embarking on a bumpy road which at onepoint would see Irish voters reject it in a referendum and Pragueuntil the very end resisting it pending a legal ruling by its courts. Traditionally, EU ratification documents are officially depositedin Rome, since the Italian capital was the original venue for theoriginal "Treaty of Rome" agreements which set up the forerunner oftoday"s European Union. --SPA 20:20 LOCAL TIME 17:20 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/718632