Spain has launched a series of ambitious goals for its six-month leadership of the European Union, but faces hurdles at home and in Brussels if it is to make its mark on the first presidency of post-Lisbon treaty era. There has already been private dismay in Madrid that it will be the first rotating presidency to play second fiddle to the new permanent EU president set up by Lisbon, Herman Van Rompuy, and to the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Lady Ashton. These two will chair EU summits rather than José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister, or Miguel Angel Moratinos, the foreign minister. Nonetheless, Madrid is attempting to seize the agenda from the fledging eurocrats. It wants to re-start the Middle East peace process with a push for a Palestinian state, and is promoting a renewed dialogue between the EU and Cuba, as well as a strengthened Mediterranean Union, the partnership that France launched during its presidency last year. There will also be a summit with Morocco.
Spain has launched a series of ambitious goals for its six-month leadership of the European Union, but faces hurdles at home and in Brussels if it is to make its mark on the first presidency of post-Lisbon treaty era.
There has already been private dismay in Madrid that it will be the first rotating presidency to play second fiddle to the new permanent EU president set up by Lisbon, Herman Van Rompuy, and to the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Lady Ashton.
These two will chair EU summits rather than José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister, or Miguel Angel Moratinos, the foreign minister. Nonetheless, Madrid is attempting to seize the agenda from the fledging eurocrats.
It wants to re-start the Middle East peace process with a push for a Palestinian state, and is promoting a renewed dialogue between the EU and Cuba, as well as a strengthened Mediterranean Union, the partnership that France launched during its presidency last year. There will also be a summit with Morocco.
Europe suddenly has a new leadership - how will the new post of President of the European Council, held by Belgian Herman Van Rompuy (pictured), square itself alongside José Luis Zapatero's Spanish presidency of the EU?Spanish president José Luis Zapatero's European presidency has barely begun, but he already has a rival in the the brand new post of President of the European Council, held by Belgian Herman Van Rompuy. Zapatero held a meeting in Madrid on Tuesday to discuss the financial crisis with what has been dubbed a "council of wise men" including Jacques Delors, a former French finance minister who held the post of European Commission president from 1985-1995. The meeting, which also included former Spanish PM Felipe Gonzalez, was aimed at discussing a project for "European economic governance". It is not out of the ordinary that Zapatero would hold such a meeting, given that Spain now holds the rotating EU presidency until June 2010. However, some experts wonder at the timing of the meeting, coming as it does one day after Van Rompuy called an emergency economic meeting for Feb. 11 in Brussels, with a similar agenda.
Spanish president José Luis Zapatero's European presidency has barely begun, but he already has a rival in the the brand new post of President of the European Council, held by Belgian Herman Van Rompuy.
Zapatero held a meeting in Madrid on Tuesday to discuss the financial crisis with what has been dubbed a "council of wise men" including Jacques Delors, a former French finance minister who held the post of European Commission president from 1985-1995. The meeting, which also included former Spanish PM Felipe Gonzalez, was aimed at discussing a project for "European economic governance".
It is not out of the ordinary that Zapatero would hold such a meeting, given that Spain now holds the rotating EU presidency until June 2010. However, some experts wonder at the timing of the meeting, coming as it does one day after Van Rompuy called an emergency economic meeting for Feb. 11 in Brussels, with a similar agenda.
