On 8 January 2010 Inaugural meeting with the Spanish Presidency was held in Madrid. Video from the Press conference on that occasion can be found in Video Gallery.
From the 1 January, 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.
For the first time, the European Council has a stable chair, coinciding with the beginning of the Spanish Presidency. This is a position created by the Treaty of Lisbon to give greater continuity to the work of the EU and Herman Van Rompuy, the former Belgian Prime Minister, has been appointed for a two-and-a-half-year term, which can be renewed once. Van Rompuy will chair the European Council meetings, or European summits that bring together all 27 heads of state or government.
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.
The Spanish Presidency’s priorities revolve around: – Consolidating Europe’s social agenda, paying special attention to gender equality and the fight against domestic violence. – Promoting a People’s Europe – Getting out of the economic crisis. The fundamental aims are restoring job creation and achieving a more competitive Europe, as stated in the Lisbon Strategy. – The European Union’s energy security and the fight against climate change. – Enabling Europe to speak with its own voice on the international scene and promoting its common values, peace and well-being. – Consolidating a safer Union for its citizens, responding to the challenges of immigration and constructing a shared space with judicial and police cooperation. 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.
Programme of the Spanish Presidency of the EU
