**Important legal notice**

*|*

# 12005S/TTE/04

**Treaty between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Member States of the European Union) and the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, concerning the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union - Article 4***Official Journal L 157 , 21/06/2005 P. 0018 - 0018*

Article 4

1. This Treaty shall be ratified by the High Contracting Parties in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Government of the Italian Republic by 31 December 2006 at the latest.

2. This Treaty shall enter into force on 1 January 2007 provided that all the instruments of ratification have been deposited before that date.

If, however, a State referred to in Article 1(1) has not deposited its instrument of ratification in due time, this Treaty shall enter into force for the other State which has deposited its instrument. In that case, the Council, acting unanimously, shall decide immediately upon such adjustments as have become indispensable to this Treaty, to Articles 10, 11(2), 12, 21(1), 22, 31, 34 and 46, Annex III, point 2(1)(b), 2(2) and 2(3) and Annex IV, section B, of the Protocol referred to in Article 1(3) and, as the case may be, to Articles 9 to 11, 14(3), 15, 24(1), 31, 34, 46 and 47, Annex III, point 2(1)(b), 2(2) and 2(3) and Annex IV, section B, of the Act referred to in Article 2(2); acting unanimously, it may also declare that those provisions of the aforementioned Protocol, including its Annexes and Appendices and, as the case may be, of the aforementioned Act, including its Annexes and Appendices, which refer expressly to a State which has not deposited its instrument of ratification have lapsed, or it may adjust them.

Notwithstanding the deposit of all necessary instruments of ratification in accordance with paragraph 1, this Treaty shall enter into force on 1 January 2008, if the Council adopts a decision concerning both acceding States under Article 39 of the Protocol referred to in Article 1(3), or under Article 39 of the Act referred to in Article 2(2) prior to the entry into force of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

If such a decision is taken with respect to only one of the acceding States this Treaty shall enter into force for that State on 1 January 2008.

3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, the institutions of the Union may adopt before accession the measures referred to in Articles 3(6), 6(2) second subparagraph, 6(4) second subparagraph, 6(7) second and third subparagraphs, 6(8) second subparagraph, 6(9) third subparagraph, 17, 19, 27(1) and (4), 28(4) and (5), 29, 30(3), 31(4), 32(5), 34(3) and (4), 37, 38, 39(4), 41, 42, 55, 56, 57 and Annexes IV to VIII of the Protocol referred to in Article 1(3). Such measures shall be adopted under the equivalent provisions in Articles 3(6), 6(2) second subparagraph, 6(4) second subparagraph, 6(7) second and third subparagraphs, 6(8) second subparagraph, 6(9) third subparagraph, 20, 22, 27(1) and (4), 28(4) and (5), 29, 30(3), 31(4), 32(5), 34(3) and (4), 37, 38, 39(4), 41, 42, 55, 56, 57 and Annexes IV to VIII of the Act referred to in Article 2(2), prior to the entry into force of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

These measures shall enter into force only subject to and on the date of the entry into force of this Treaty.

--------------------------------------------------