(COPENHAGEN) - Denmark will not hold a referendum on the EU treaty to be signed by heads of state this week in Lisbon, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday.

"It is a good treaty for Denmark and for Europe, and the government has decided its ratification will take place in parliament and not by way of referendum," Rasmussen said at a weekly press conference.

The treaty "does not transfer sovereignty to the EU ... and there is no judicial reason to resort to a referendum," the prime minister added.

Denmark's constitution stipulates that a referendum must be held if part of Denmark's sovereignty is to be transferred to an international body.

The government decision comes a week after a panel of legal experts at the justice ministry said it saw no need for a Danish plebiscite on the EU treaty.

Text and Picture Copyright 2007 AFP. All other Copyright 2007 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.