Friday

29th Mar 2024

Dutch take over from successful Irish presidency

It will be a difficult for the Dutch to equal the reputation that the outgoing Irish presidency has gained as they take over the reins of the EU today (1 July).

It was not just the Irish parliament that applauded the Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern for his political manoeuvring and negotiation skills - which allowed the EU to bring thorny talks on the EU Constitution and the European Commission presidency to a successful end.

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

At several moments during Ireland's term at the helm of the EU, leaders and diplomats generally expressed content over the way the Irish took on the big hurdles they faced.

Commission President Prodi is even reported to have said that the Irish presidency was "beyond compare".

Herculean task

After a Summit on the Constitution in December 2003 had failed under the bumpy Italian presidency - and tensions and emotions between member states ran high - it was seen as a Herculean task for the Irish presidency to re-start the talks in a successful way.

But Mr Ahern astutely imposed a two-month period of reflection, which cooled tempers down, refusing to accept the idea of a "two-speed Europe", which would crystallise divisions within the EU, as they emerged from the December summit.

Equally, the presidency managed to find a unanimously supported candidate for the Commission presidency - the Portuguese Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso - after sharp divisions had emerged over the issue notably between France and the UK.

Chairing skills

Meanwhile, EU diplomats also complimented the Irish for their chairing skills.

They gladly observe that speaking time for member states' representatives was often decisively cut off by the Irish chair, an essential matter in the new EU of 25 states.

However, regarding policies such as foreign affairs and economic reform the Irish were constrained in their ambitions by political events - as much as any presidency.

Although at the beginning of their presidency the Irish had expressed the ambition to build an "effective bridge to the United States" the EU-US relationship remained strained as countries such as France kept actively and openly resisting US leadership in the world.

Business sources complain that another "key priority" on the Irish agenda, the reviving of the so-called "Lisbon strategy" to make the EU economy more competitive, was snowed under during the March summit between other demanding and sensitive issues such as Iraq.

Netherlands takes over

Although the Irish leave an EU to the Netherlands with major issues resolved, the Dutch nevertheless face a difficult six months at the EU helm.

As one of the key challenges, the Dutch will need to address the thorny question of Turkish membership of the EU.

And as the Irish, the Dutch have identified the reviving of the EU economy as a main priority for their presidency.

Politically far more sensitive on the Dutch agenda is the issue of financing the EU's budget from 2007 to 2013, which is expected by some diplomatic sources to be even "more difficult" than agreeing the Constitution.

The Netherlands itself is relatively the biggest net contributor to the EU's budget.

Meanwhile, Dutch leaders and officials may be distracted by two court cases and a referendum.

The European Commission is still investigating the early release of the Dutch results for the European Parliament elections on 10 June, which may result in a court case by the Commission against the Dutch presidency.

On July 13, the European Court of Justice will reveal its judgement regarding the row between the Commission and member states over the rules that underpin the euro - the stability pact.

The Dutch have publicly sided with the Commission against big member states such as France and Germany.

Moreover, the Dutch are set to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution in December and they may well be the first EU country to do so - thus setting the tone for a long and difficult ratification process.

Opinion

EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania

Among the largest sources of financing for energy transition of central and eastern European countries, the €60bn Modernisation Fund remains far from the public eye. And perhaps that's one reason it is often used for financing fossil gas projects.

'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told

Italian central banker Piero Cipollone in his first monetary policy speech since joining the ECB's board in November, said that the bank should be ready to "swiftly dial back our restrictive monetary policy stance."

Opinion

EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania

Among the largest sources of financing for energy transition of central and eastern European countries, the €60bn Modernisation Fund remains far from the public eye. And perhaps that's one reason it is often used for financing fossil gas projects.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

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