BRUSSELS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- An intergovernmental conference of legal experts has finalized a draft of a reform treaty for the European Union (EU), the EU's Portuguese presidency said on Tuesday.

    The EU opened the conference in July with a mandate to draft the text of the reform treaty as agreed by EU leaders at their June summit.

    The reform treaty was intended to replace the failed constitutional treaty, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005 referendums.

    EU foreign ministers were expected to show their backing for the text of the treaty when they meet in Luxembourg on Oct. 15. Then it will be up to the EU leaders to have their say when they meet in Lisbon on Oct. 18-19.

    The EU aims to adopt the new treaty before the European parliamentary elections in June 2009.