SWEDEN IS set to become the 23rd EU member state to ratify the Lisbon Treaty after its parliament, the Riksdag, approved of the document yesterday in Stockholm with 69 per cent support.

In the 349-seat parliament, 243 MPs voted in favour of ratification, 39 voted against and 67 members abstained or were absent.

"In the parliament's opinion, the Lisbon Treaty is better than the current treaty and strengthens the EU in important areas," said a parliamentary statement announcing the result.

According to the Swedish parliament's rules of procedure, adoption of the Bill required a two-thirds majority in the chamber. By obtaining this qualified majority the government has received the necessary mandate by parliament to finalise the ratification process.

The debate, described later as "very good fun" by EU minister Cecilia Malmström, concentrated on concerns about Swedish collective wage agreements.

A European court recently ruled against Swedish unions who blocked a building site in protest at lower wages being paid by a Latvian construction company.

European Commission president José Manuel Barroso described Sweden's vote as "an important step forward".

"The Treaty of Lisbon will make the union more democratic, transparent and stronger on the world stage. It would certainly have helped during the Georgia and financial crisis," he said.

"We now await the approach that the Irish Government intends to take at the December European Council so that we can move forward with the ratification process."

Three countries besides Ireland have yet to ratify.

Germany's two houses of parliament have approved ratification of the Bill, but ratification is on hold pending a constitutional challenge verdict, expected in the new year.

In neighbouring Czech Republic, the supreme court is expected to issue its verdict on the treaty's constitutionality on Tuesday.

In Warsaw, Polish president Lech Kaczynski has yet to sign the ratification Bill into law but promised yesterday not to hinder progress. "Poland won't be an obstacle in the Lisbon Treaty ratification process. I promised that to president [Nicolas] Sarkozy and I will keep my promise," said Mr Kaczynski after being quizzed on television about this week's Irish Times poll showing majority support for the treaty with additional annexes on a national commissioner, neutrality and abortion.

Earlier this year, Mr Kaczynski announced that "there is no treaty without Ireland", but modified his position after talks with the French president.

The Bill has passed both houses of parliament in Warsaw.