“Special Week” Austrian Presidency

Can Austria make the EU stop pausing and start thinking?

The EU took some heavy punches and a political knock-out when the citizens of France and the Netherlands voted the Constitution down. Disconcerted EU leaders at the June summit agreed on the need for a ‘reflection period'.

This self-imposed ‘pause for thought' has so far not led to a lot of thinking so far. But there are signs that the pausing will give way to thinking in 2006, and that the Austrian EU presidency will lead the way.

The EU spring summit will also take stock of the first results of the revised Lisbon strategy, when the heads of state will scrutinise the national action plans.

EurActiv would like to call your attention to its Special Week coverage of the Austrian presidency. The Special Week, which will run from 9-13 January 2006, will cover a number of interesting items:

Interview with the Austrian EU Ambassador Gregor Woschnagg
Austria's national action plan on Lisbon
The priorities of the presidency
Austria's views on Turkey and the enlargement
The legacy of the EU clash with the Haider-Schüssel government in 2000

EurActiv will be available for comment:

Editor-in-chief Willy de Backer - tel: 02 7883664

News Editor Jacob Langvad tel: 02 7883679

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