What Does the Presidency of the EU Mean?

On January 1, 2010, Spain assumed the presidency of the EU. For six months, the main task of the country which holds the presidency is to organise and manage the work of the Council of the European Union where the member states are represented. This means that until 30 June, the Spanish representatives on the Council and its subsidiary bodies (committees and working groups) are responsible for setting the agenda and presiding over the approximately 3,000 meetings which will take place in Brussels and Luxembourg and the 300 that will be held in Spain.

Holding the rotating office of Presidency requires carrying out duties of supporting the permanent presidency, which is responsible for representing the Council in its relations with third countries and international organisations and with the other European institutions, particularly the European Parliament and Commission.

In practice, occupying the presidency implies building bridges between countries to enable the European agenda to move forwards. The country that holds the presidency must carry out this work impartially and must not actively promote its own interests, nor those of any other state. In these few months, the government must do everything it can to resolve any differences which may arise between member states when it comes to making decisions, by presenting and negotiating compromise solutions. It must also be prepared to deal with unforeseen situations which require a rapid response from the EU.

For Spain, the presidency means an opportunity to extend its presence abroad, to influence world affairs and to cooperate with the most vulnerable countries. It is also an opportunity to bring the EU and its citizens closer together and give decisive impetus to European integration.

Full text at http://www.eu2010.es/en/presidencia/significadopresidencia/

Links

The Spanish Presidency (official website)

"Obama's 'Snub' Adds to the Pain in Spain" (by Sarah Wildman)

"Basque Without Borders" (by Sarah Wildman)

Photos of Spain by Sarah Wildman. Sarah Wildman was the first North American journalist to receive a Milena Jesenská Fellowship to the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, Austria. She is a regular contributor to The New York Times and the Guardian (UK).