Spain to test EUs Lisbon treaty rules

Spain to test EUs Lisbon covenant rules

By Tony Barber in Brussels

Published: Jan 3 2010 16:00 | Last updated: Jan 3 2010 16:00

When Spain took over the European Unions six-month presidency from Swedenon Jan 1, it hereditary much some-more than the common catalog of mercantile as well as unfamiliar process challenges.

For Spain is the initial country to hold the reins under the EUs Lisbon treaty, the set of institutional reforms written to strengthen the blocs decision-making procedures and, in certain respects, to hillside the role of the rotating presidency.

The EU now has the initial full-time president, Belgiums Herman Van Rompuy, as well as the brand new unfamiliar process supremo, the UKs Lady Ashton. Under the Lisbon treaty, it is this span as well as Jos Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president which have been intended to be the EUs open face.

Yet Spains ruling socialists would be less than tellurian if, distinct all national leaders who have held the rotating presidency before them, they resisted the enticement to remove some domestic collateral from their moment in the sun.

As the result, Spain is expected to tread the clever path over the next 6 months, working vigourously with alternative countries to make the success of the EUs brand new rules, though injecting sufficient distinctively Spanish elements in to the presidency to win favour with domestic open opinion.

National governments have been not ready to give up the event to denote to their own open as well as to the outward universe which they have been [co-]leading the EU even if this event only arises once each fourteen or some-more years in the EU of 27-plus members, Antonio Missiroli as well as Janis Emmanouilidis of the European Policy Centre think-tank wrote in the inform last month.

For example, Spain will host the limit in May with Latin American countries in Madrid. It is additionally formulation the European Unions initial ever limit with Morocco. The dual events illustrate Spains importance on EU family with the Mediterranean neighbours as well as the former Latin American empire.

On the alternative hand, Spain is keen to help Lady Ashton fast set up up the EUs outmost movement service, the sort of pan-European tactful armed forces intended to devise the EUs tellurian change some-more effectively.

Today [the EU is] not the tellurian player. We have some expressions of unfamiliar policy. We have approved some critical (security as well as peacekeeping) missions. We have adopted some common domestic positions. But you do have not have the real outmost process in Europe, says Diego Lpez Garrido, Spains EU affairs minister.

The downgrading of the rotating presidency is reflected in the fact which Mr Van Rompuy, rather than Jos Luis Rodrguez Zapatero, Spains budding minister, will chair EU summits of heads of state as well as government. Lady Ashton will chair meetings of EU unfamiliar ministers though in her deficiency Miguel ngel Moratinos, Spains unfamiliar minister, will reinstate her.

As distant as the eurozone is concerned, the key figure will not be Elena Salgado, Spains finance minister, though Luxembourgs Jean-Claude Juncker, who has the grave title of president of the eurogroup, which brings together the areas 16 countries.

Behind the scenes, however, Spain will by no equates to lose change over EU policymaking. EU leaders have concluded which the country land the six-month presidency should continue to chair the weekly meetings of EU ambassadors where many of the process compromises necessary to the blocs operations have been forged.

Moreover, except for those related to unfamiliar policy, Spain will chair all the numerous working groups as well as committees which hope for EU initiatives in fields trimming from environment as well as transport as well as health.

Spain expects to play the prominent role in pulling brazen the brand new 10-year EU devise for jobs, mercantile expansion as well as innovation, dubbed the 2020 strategy as well as likely to be adopted in March.

The last limit of Spains presidency in June will see the presentation of the inform on the EUs long-term future as distant ahead as 2030 which is being prepared by the group of experts led by Felipe Gonzlez, Spains former budding minister.

Spain will not abandon the responsibilities, says Mr Moratinos. But you will do it with modesty, with discretion.