The EU Presidency – that is, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union – rotates among individual Member States every six months. The Council, acting unanimously, determines the sequence in which Member States hold the Presidency. On 1 January 2007, Germany will assume the Presidency for the 12th time. Germany will be followed by Portugal on 1 July 2007 and Slovenia – the first of the new Member States that joined the Union on 1 May 2004 to hold the Presidency – in the first half of 2008. This trio of Member States has put forward a joint 18-month programme.
The responsibilities of the Presidency include:
- Chairing the European Council, the Council, and Council committees and working groups, as well as organising and coordinating Council activities;
- Engaging in dialogue with the European Commission, the European Parliament and other EU bodies and institutions;
- Representing the European Union in external relations, together with the Commission.
Chairing the Council:
During its six-month Presidency, Germany will chair the European Council, the Council, as well as Council committees and working groups. Council meetings take place in Brussels or Luxembourg. In addition, it is customary for Ministers from specific policy areas to attend informal meetings in the country currently holding the Presidency. To find out the exact dates of these meetings, simply click on the calendar of the German Presidency website.
It is the Presidency’s responsibility to build forward momentum in the Council’s work through efficient preparation, the formulation of compromise proposals and mediation among the Member States.
Engaging in dialogue with other EU institutions and bodies:
The Presidency also leads the dialogue with other institutions of the European Union, particularly the European Commission and the European Parliament (EP).
The Presidency represents the Council before the European Parliament and its various committees. At the beginning of its six-month term, each Presidency presents its work programme to the EP; at the end of its term, the Presidency delivers a report to the EP on the outcomes achieved. The Presidency also reports regularly to the Parliament regarding the Council’s work, responds to inquiries during the EP’s Question Time, and participates in debates on key integration projects. The Presidency represents the Council in legislative negotiations with the EP as well. Details on the German Presidency’s schedule at the European Parliament can be found on the calendar of the Presidency website.
The Presidency represents the Council in a similar fashion before the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee.
Representing the EU in external relations:
Together with the European Commission, the Presidency represents the European Union in external relations.
The Presidency represents the Commission in matters involving the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). With input from the Commission, the Presidency is responsible for implementing decisions made within the framework of CFSP. In this context, the Presidency also presents the EU’s foreign and security policy positions to international organisations and conferences. The High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy assists the external relations activities of the Presidency.
In fulfilling its CFSP-related responsibilities, the Presidency may also receive support from the Member State next in line to assume the Presidency.
