Tag: EU Presidency

The Danes compare their 2012 EU presidency to one of the national dishes, the rye bread "Rugbrød" that many Danes eat for lunch: uninspiring but excellent for nutrition. But Brussels observers note that the Danes have been absent on major issues, including the eurozone crisis.

Poland's optimism and Europhilia will be a boon to the EU in this time of crisis. But calendar constraints may limit Warsaw's achievements during its six-month presidency of the bloc, which is going through its most difficult period since its inception after the Second World War, writes Arsim Mulaku of the Kosovo Public Policy Centre.

Paving the way for an "ambitious" agreement on the 2014-2020 budget, energy security and the European Union's Eastern neighbourhood are all key priorities of the Polish EU Presidency during the second half of 2011. The Poles, for their part, have pulled all the stops to ensure that the Union remains committed to redistributive policies at a time of economic austerity.

In terms of achievements, and despite internal political instability and a crisis in the euro zone, Belgium’s tenure as President of the European Union was a success.

A European Council energy meeting will take centre stage next February after Budapest has taken on the rotating presidency of the EU for the first half of 2011. EurActiv France reveals the key dates in the presidency's agenda.

Spain, Belgium and Hungary have agreed a joint 18-month programme, beginning in January 2010, for their 'trio' of EU presidencies. The three countries pledged continuity for their stint at the EU helm, which is the first such 'presidency trio' to take place under the EU's revamped institutions. EurActiv France reports.

Spain takes on the European Union's six-month rotating presidency at a defining moment for the bloc, marked by the first steps of the Union's first-ever permanent president and foreign affairs chief and efforts to lift Europe out of its worst recession in decades.

"It's the Swedes' success in melding capitalism and social welfare and environmental responsibility that will serve it well over the next six months," writes Gerald Loftus, a former diplomat, in a July post on Blogactiv.

"We need a firmer hand at the EU's helm," argues Sylvie Goulard, president of the European Movement in France, exploring whether France is capable of "reclaiming the intellectual leadership of the EU" in the autumn edition of Europe's World.

The French EU Presidency will concentrate on a common approach to migration, climate change, energy policy and security and defence as its key areas, writes French EU Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet for the summer edition of Europe’s World.

A poll by Harris Interactive found most European citizens consider German Chancellor Angela Merkel to be the most influential leader in Europe, while Tony Blair is currently the preferred candidate for the job of EU President. However, a large proportion say they would prefer the job not to be created at all.

Completing the internal market for labour, goods and services will be a priority for the Czech Republic when it assumes the six-month rotating presidency of the EU in January 2009 on the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain, Czech Vice-Premier and EU Affairs Minister Alexandr Vondra told EurActiv France in an interview.

The Slovenian Presidency will focus on Western Balkans relations, energy and climate change, and the implementation of the new Lisbon cycle for growth and jobs when it takes over the EU helm from 1 January 2008.

A 'more protective Europe' will be the French government's central theme when they take over the rotating EU presidency in the second half of 2008. Gilles Briatta, EU adviser to the prime minister, outlined further details in an interview with EurActiv France.

The Portuguese EU Presidency has vowed to stick a hard-won June agreement to draft an EU Reform Treaty, amid concerns that Poland might ask to reopen discussions on voting rights in the Council.

Breathing fresh life into Europe's Lisbon Agenda for economic renewal is a top priority for Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates, as he takes over the reigns of the Union for the next six months. However, his first challenge will be to convince France to stick to the EU rules on fiscal discipline that French President Nicolas Sarkozy appears determined to breach.

EU citizens recognise the need for more political leadership in the Union and think Angela Merkel, José Manuel Barroso or the Euro Group are most likely to provide it, according to a TNS poll published ahead of the June European Summit in Brussels.

Two months before the start of the German EU presidency, the grand coalition government that will chair EU Council meetings during the first half of 2007 has not yet found agreement on priorities for the term. EurActiv compares the two parties' positions on key issues.

In this article, published by Politik & Kommunikation (in German), Christophe Leclercq and Kristina Weich Hondrila from EurActiv summarise the main points of the EU policy statement that was held by German chancellor Angela Merkel on 11 May 2006.

During its EU Presidency, in the first half of 2007, Germany will make an effort of reviving the EU constitution, the country's press reports.

With employment and deficit figures that already meet the Lisbon goals and the Growth and Stability Pact criteria respectively, Austria can afford to have an unambitious-sounding Lisbon Action Plan.

The Austrian Green MEP Johannes Voggenhuber was, together with British Liberal Andrew Duff, the Parliament's rapporteur on the EU Constitution. Both MEPs are also rapporteurs for the report on the period of reflection, to be voted in plenary in the January 16 -19 session. In an exclusive interview with EurActiv, he commented on how likely the Austrian Presidency were to relaunch the stalled constitutional process.

Leading figures from the Austrian Presidency, the Commission and the Parliament agree that the Services Directive will be one of the most important issues of the new year.

Gregor Woschnagg is likely to be one of the busiest men in the European Union at present. A diplomat and a senior civil servant in various ministries in Austria, he took over the post of Permanent Representative in September 1999, only weeks before the Austrian National Council elections that led to a major crisis between Austria and the EU. In an exclusive interview with EurActiv, Ambassador Woschnagg comments on the Austrian Presidency's priorities.