28/12/2010

THE BELGIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE EU A POST LISBON TREATY PRESIDENCY
Marianne DONY President Institute for European Studies ULB

THE BELGIAN PRESIDENCY AND THE LISBON TREATY
The Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on 1 December 2009 implies many changes as concerns the presidency of the EU A kind of transitional period has been respected for the Spain’s Presidency beginning in January since Spain had had to prepare itself for a conventional Presidency in the event that the Treaty would not be ratified The ambit of the Belgian presidency is to implement completely the rules of the Lisbon treaty

THE SITUATION UNTIL THE LISBON TREATY

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A ROTATING SYSTEM
In the Rome Treaty, the Member States have made the choice of a rotating presidency : each of them in turn was chairing the Council of Ministers This system enabled all the Member States, small of big, to be at the helm The relatively short term in office (6 months) guaranteed that none of the Member States could dominate.

The country holding the presidency chaired the sessions at all the different Council levels, from working groups to the ministerial meetings When the European Council was created, this system was extended to it. The president or prime minister of the country holding the presidency of the Council of Ministers was also chairing the European Council meetings

THE TASKS OF THE PRESIDENCY
Organisational role Broker role Political leader Relations with other institutions and bodies of the European Union International representation of the European Union

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ORGANISATIONAL ROLE
The country at the helm is responsible for planning meetings, arranging rooms, drafting agendas, preparing and circulating the documents

This tack is not very intellectually demanding but very time consuming

BROKER ROLE
That role is particularly important as sensitive and controversial problems are being touched on. It implies creating a good atmosphere, making