The Presidency of the EU Council is a six-month period when each of the EU member states chairs, by fixed rotation, meetings of the EU Council. A country that holds Presidency is taking the responsibility for the agenda of the EU Council. It is a driving force behind the decision-making process, both in legislative and political aspect. It is also trying to work out a compromise between different positions of the EU member states.
On the one hand, the Presidency is a commitment resulting directly from the status of being a member state of the EU and has its legal basis in the art. 16 of the Treaty on European Union. On the other hand, it poses a great challenge, but at the same time a chance for enhancing the authority and improving the image of the country as well as its promotion.
Preparing and performing the Presidency is connected with the necessity of coordinating several thousands of meetings, both formal (in Brussels, Luxemburg) and informal ones (in a country that holds the Presidency). The key role of the Presidency is to develop compromises between EU member states, as well as between the European Commission and EU member states.
The country holding the Presidency of the EU has the task of handling contacts between the European Council and other EU institutions, especially the European Commission and the European Parliament. This task requires above all procedure and substantive fluency both at political level and first and foremost at clerical one. For half a year, the Presidency organises the work of the EU Council, shapes its relations with institutional partners, chairs its meetings and informs the European Parliament about the actions taken.
In connection with the appointment by the Treaty of Lisbon the post of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, previous powers of the Presidency in the sphere of foreign policy have been diminished. The EU, however, has gained in this field greater “visibility” and efficiency, also owing to creation of the European External Action Service.
