On January 1, 2011, Hungary, as the third member of the European Union, which joined the club in 2004, took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is, however, the first presidency of a newer Member State under Lisbon treaty rules. After the new treaty entered into force December 1, 2009, all rotating presidencies are, in reality, first time presidencies. Their relative success now depends more on administrative ability than political leadership.
The new treaty has completely changed the role of the rotating presidency. Before Lisbon, the political responsibility of each of these presidencies included almost all areas of the European project with the main decisions being brokered by national diplomats. Under the new system this “political” dimension has been seriously limited, if not eradicated. The main task of rotating presidencies in the new institutional system of the European Union is, within the Council and with the European Parliament, to manage ongoing legislation. The most difficult dossiers, usually negotiated politically at the highest level of the European Council are now no longer part of the rotating presidencies’ responsibilities. Even if the role of the rotating presidency is less relevant in the most difficult dossiers, its active engagement in negotiating legislation is absolutely crucial if the system is to function successfully. Legislative responsibility is even more important in the specific context of economic instability and the Eurozone crisis.
In this new legal and politically reality, the Hungarian Council presidency will be the third in a series of three consecutive “Trio” presidencies. The first in this Trio was Spain (January – June 2010) followed by Belgium (July – December 2010). Cooperation between the administrations of these states has been very close with the result that the management and transfer of issues from the Belgian to the Hungarian desks over the New Year went off smoothly.
EU Council presidency priorities and a test of Hungarian administrative capacity
In November 2009 the then upcoming trio presidency published an 89-page long document called “Draft 18 month programme of the Council”. It included a comprehensive list of all issues on the current EU agenda. New points have arisen for the Hungarians to deal with; the most important of them being the legislative implementation of the new economic governance rules as approved by the European Council in October 2010. In short, the Hungarian – and any other Council presidency – agenda is the EU agenda. The Hungarians seem to understand clearly that, in principle, all priorities should already be on the EU agenda; introducing a new idea rarely brings tangible results during the six months in office.
EU Council presidency priorities and a test of Hungarian administrative capacity
Domestic affairs
Conclusions and Predictions
Piotr Maciej Kaczyński is a research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), a leading EU think tank where he is responsible for the unit dealing with the EU institutional and political issues. He has published widely on EU politics, including the treaty reform as well as on the EU foreign policy. Among his most recent books are: The Treaty of Lisbon: A Second Look at the Institutional Innovations (co-authored, CEPS-Egmont-EPC, Brussels 2010); the second edition of Ever Changing Union: An Introduction to the History, Institutions and Decision-Making Processes of the European Union (co-authored, CEPS, Brussels 2011); and From Cacophonous Crowd to Global Actor: Upgrading the EU's Role in International Relations (co-authored, CEPS, Brussels 2011). He also co-authored Policy-Making in the EU: Achievements, Challenges and Proposals for Reform (CEPS, Brussels 2009). Previously, he run the European Programme at the Warsaw-based Institute of Public Affairs (2004-2007) and was a member of the Steering Board of the Babel International, editor of Cafebabel.com the European Magazine (2003-2007). Mr. Kaczyński has advised individual Members of the European Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland on the EU-related issues. Mr. Kaczyński has graduated in international relations from Warsaw University (2002) and in European studies from College of Europe (2004). He frequently comments on European current affairs and foreign policy issues for the media in the EU and beyond. He has widely published opinion articles in leading European newspapers.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.