Nine years? Really?

From TheParliament.com:

Pöttering,who was president [of the EU Parliament] for two-and-a-half years until June, added, "Some may suggest the EU went too far to placate Klaus but, let us remember that this is a treaty some of us have been fighting nine years for."

Denis Cooper's comment (via email):

Oh, surely not? Surely this is a new and different treaty, one which didn't need the UK referendum promised for the previous treaty?