I personally dislike the compromise achieved over the European Council president. I think it would make a lot more sense to have permanent presidents of the 'nine configurations' of the Council of the European Union in the way that the Eurogroup has a permanent president.
But for these, the rotating presidency will be maintained. Well, except for the external relations council which will be chaired by the High Representative. I think it is likely that this is where the main competition will be. The European Council president and the rotating presidency will have to struggle over the privilege of agenda-setting. The upside is that a capable president of the Commission could use that conflict to his/her benefit.
The upside is that a capable president of the Commission could use that conflict to his/her benefit.
Yeah, a capable Commission president would be nice. And while we're dreaming, I'd like a pony too.
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
Then again, a big part of the 'roles' should be defined in the next five years, which is the downside, and which is all the more reason to Stop Blair.
Its hard not to see the rotating Presidencies as a transitional feature which may come to be seen as a bug - as in the case of the Council itself. notes from no w here
I don't know, on the other hand, what to think of the proposal of uniting the functions of Commission President and European Council president. Except that there is probably something of the above objection to be expected.
On the rotating presidency: the small countries don't want to lose it entirely, and the fact that it remains in the Lisbon treaty is probably a concession that helped calm their revolt. (I say probably, no historical certainty on that!)
The Council and the Commission are very different bodies (the first intergovernmental, and mainly legislative, the second supranational and mainly executive). I don't think that they should have one head, as the roles are very different. I'm also not happy about the new single Council presidency and hope that the position will not become one of great power. An appointed Council President is appropriate insofar as the body is intergovernmental -- of the Member States.
I'm also not happy about the new single Council presidency and hope that the position will not become one of great power.
An appointed Council President is appropriate insofar as the body is intergovernmental -- of the Member States.
FT.com | Gideon Rachman's Blog | Kissinger never wanted to dial Europe
The Kissinger "who do I call" remark was trotted out at almost every seminar I ever went to Brussels. So I'm delighted to add it to the list of "famous sayings that were never said". Reginald Dale of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington (and before that of The Financial Times) has written to me to say: "Kissinger never made the famous remark about Europe's telephone number. According to the late Peter Rodman, who knew him well, the saying is apocryphal, and in fact Kissinger's concern was the precise opposite - he was fed up with having to deal with a Dane whom he regarded as incompetent and ineffective, who was trying to represent the whole of the EU as President of the Council. Kissinger himself has disowned the remark, and it seems that he was actually seeking to divide and rule in Europe, rather than be restricted to a single voice on the telephone."
The Kissinger "who do I call" remark was trotted out at almost every seminar I ever went to Brussels. So I'm delighted to add it to the list of "famous sayings that were never said".
Reginald Dale of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington (and before that of The Financial Times) has written to me to say: "Kissinger never made the famous remark about Europe's telephone number. According to the late Peter Rodman, who knew him well, the saying is apocryphal, and in fact Kissinger's concern was the precise opposite - he was fed up with having to deal with a Dane whom he regarded as incompetent and ineffective, who was trying to represent the whole of the EU as President of the Council. Kissinger himself has disowned the remark, and it seems that he was actually seeking to divide and rule in Europe, rather than be restricted to a single voice on the telephone."
