Tuesday

19th Mar 2024

Big personality and big problems to mark French EU presidency

  • Not quite the presidency agenda Paris wanted (Photo: EUobserver)

On Tuesday 1 July, France takes over the EU presidency armed with a big country's sense of the natural order of things, a hyperactive president and a lengthy list of priorities.

But its six month term will operate under the twin black clouds of Ireland's rejection of the EU Lisbon Treaty as well as rising discontent among European citizens about the recent hikes in food and fuel prices.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The Irish question will simmer throughout Paris' reign of the EU as member states try and pull off the public relations feat of making it look like the Irish vote counts but putting pressure on Dublin to put the document to referendum for a second time.

Whether they achieve this will depend as much on the way Paris conducts the talks as on the actions of Irish prime minister Brian Cowen. However, France's hopes of brokering deals on who would occupy new posts created by the Lisbon treaty – such as the EU president – have been scuppered.

French presidency Nicolas Sarkozy is set to visit the Irish capital on 11 July. The issue will come up at the October meeting of EU leaders and once again at the December summit where member states will be hoping that Dublin will set out a concrete plan of action.

Meanwhile, the worsening global economic situation is set to bring the country - as both the EU presidency as well as member state with a firm protectionist streak - into conflict with other EU partners.

During its presidency, the bloc is supposed to have serious discussions on reforming its Common Agricultural Policy but rising food prices may undermine any sense of approaching the talks with a real view for change.

Mr Sarkozy has already riled other capitals by suggesting that VAT on fuel be reduced - something the European Commission has now reluctantly agreed to look into.

Climate change

A concrete issue where progress could be made is on a climate change deal. The EU in March last year agreed a series of ambitious goals, including reducing CO2 emissions by 20 percent by 2020.

In January, the European Commission suggested how each country should contribute to these goals. Virtually every member state would like something changed in their environment package meaning it will need both good negotiating skills plus France's clout as a large member state to secure a deal.

An agreement should be in sight at the end of the year if it is to be approved by the European Parliament before it goes into election recess in Spring next year. Only with a deal under its belt will Europe will be able to go into the 2009 global talks in Copenhagen on a successor to the Kyoto agreement with any moral authority.

Defence and Mediterranean Union

In the run up to its presidency, France has made no secret of its desire to boost defence policy in the bloc. In a major speech on 17 June, Mr Sarkozy spoke of a making "the first step towards a genuine revival of European defence."

However, it is unclear how much Paris can achieve without real cooperation from Britain – the other military heavyweight in the Union. London remains opposed to plans for a European military headquarters, something Paris is particularly keen on. In addition, neutral Ireland's No to the treaty is likely to mean that France has to tone down its rhetoric on defence – particularly if Irish citizens are once more to go to the polls on the treaty.

The uncertainty created by the Lisbon Treaty means that even more focus will be put on France's idea of a Mediterranean Union as another of its major plans.

Already watered down by other EU member states for being too divisive, the Mediterranean Union will be launched at a special summit on 13 July in Paris but it is unclear how many leaders will attend - both from EU country and non-EU Mediterranean states - as well as what exactly the new set-up will achieve.

The Sarkozy factor

But despite the lowering of general expectations for the French presidency, Mr Sarkozy alone is set to generate high levels of interest.

Brussels has operated under a pall since the beginning of the year. It maintained a low-key approach in anticipation of the Irish referendum, this was coupled with the traditional quiet-before-the-storm feeling that precedes any big-country presidency.

This is likely to mean that Mr Sarkozy's more unconventional way of operating and his sheer unpredictability is set to keep the country in the headlines - even if Paris has its hands tied by outside events.

Finnish PM: Russia preparing for 'long conflict with West'

Finland, which shares a border with Russia, has cautioned about the danger of a Russian attack in coming years. Russia is not "invincible" but "self-satisfaction is no longer an option," Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo said.

EU Commission proposes opening Bosnia accession talks

Eight years on, the EU Commission is to recommend on Tuesday that member states open accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina after the country took "impressive steps" to meet the bloc's standards, Ursula von der Leyen said.

Opinion

How the EU can raise its game in the Middle East

Could the EU repair its reputation and credibility by taking action on Gaza? EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, Spain, Belgium and Ireland, have worked hard to repair the damage, but have faced political headwinds due to internal divisions.

Latest News

  1. Borrell: 'Israel provoking famine', urges more aid access
  2. Europol: Israel-Gaza galvanising Jihadist recruitment in Europe
  3. EU to agree Israeli-settler blacklist, Borrell says
  4. EU ministers keen to use Russian profits for Ukraine ammo
  5. Call to change EIB defence spending rules hits scepticism
  6. Potential legal avenues to prosecute Navalny's killers
  7. EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK
  8. The present and future dystopia of political micro-targeting ads

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us