Single European Act - Signing and Ratification

Signing and Ratification

The signing and ratification of the Single European Act were not without incident. Two member states, Denmark and Ireland, submitted the treaty to a popular vote.

The Danish parliament rejected the Single Act in January 1986 after an opposition motion calling for the then unsigned document to be renegotiated was passed by 80 votes to 75. The Danish government, who supported the treaty, decided to hold a national, non-binding referendum on the issue in order to overcome the treaty's rejection by the Danish parliament. This referendum was duly held on 27 February 1986 and approved by the Danish people by 56.2% voting in favour to 43.8% against on a turnout of 75.4%. Denmark signed the Single Act the following day in the Hague along with Italy and Greece who had also delayed in signing. Whilst the Danish opposition opposed the treaty because they said it would increase the powers of the European Parliament, the Italian government delayed in signing for the opposite concern: that, in their opinion, it would not give the European Parliament enough power.

The other nine member states signed the Single Act eleven days earlier in Luxembourg; the earlier date having been originally intended as display of unity within the Community regarding the SEA.

It had been originally intended to have the SEA ratified by the end of 1986 so that it would come into force on 1 January 1987 and 11 of the then 12 member states of the EEC had ratified the treaty by that date. The deadline failed to be achieved when the Irish government were restrained from ratifying the SEA pending court proceedings.

In the court case, the Irish Supreme Court ruled that the Irish Constitution would have to be amended before the state could ratify the treaty, something that can only be done by referendum. Such a referendum was ultimately held on 26 May 1987 when the proposal was approved by Irish voters by 69.9% in favour to 30.1% against on a turnout of 44.1%. Ireland formally ratified the Single European Act in June 1987, allowing the treaty to come into force on 1 July.