Et voilà! France took the helm of the EU.
Since 1 January, France has been holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.
For six months, all eyes will be on Paris, as French government takes on the roles of discussion-drivers and compromise-seekers on major legislative issues.
But what is the EU Council and how does it work?
And more importantly, how can we expect the French presidency to play out?
Today, EURACTIV breaks it down for you.
In the European Union, proposing new legislation is the responsibility of the Commission,
but it is up to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU,
where the 27 ministers sit according to their portfolios, to negotiate and adopt these proposals.
The Council of the European Union is sometimes referred to simply as the Council,
but it should be distinguished from two other institutions:
the European Council and the Council of Europe.
I know. It can be confusing, even for the media or politicians themselves.
The European Council brings together the heads of state or government of the EU Member States.
It provides the political impetus for the development of the Union and is responsible for its general agenda.
The Council of Europe has little or nothing to do with the European Union
as it is the continent's leading human rights organisation.
It includes 47 member states, 27 of which are members of the European Union.
Remember when I said that ministers meet according to their responsibilities?
Well, in reality, the EU Council can work under several configurations, which are called formations.
There are 10 of them:
General Affairs (GAC), Foreign Affairs (FAC), Economic and Financial Affairs (Ecofin),
Agriculture and Fisheries (Agrifish), Justice and Home Affairs (JHA), Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO),
Competitiveness (COMPET), Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (TTE),
Environment (ENV), Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYC).
The three major formations, General Affairs, Foreign Affairs and Economic and Financial Affairs,
meet once a month while the others meet as needed throughout the year.
The Council takes decisions by simple majority, qualified majority or unanimity,
depending on the decision to be taken.
Once the ministers have decided on their position on a text, and the Parliament has done the same,
a final phase of negotiation between the institutions begins, the 'trialogue',
which aims at making everyone happy before final adoption.
Every six months, the Presidency of the Council of the EU is held by a new Member State.
The presiding country’s government members will have the task of chairing the Council's formations,
except for the Foreign Affairs Council, which is chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The country in charge has the heavy responsibility of steering the negotiations,
setting the agendas while facilitating the dialogue between the Member States, as well as the other EU institutions.
On the other hand, the rotating presidency also gives member states opportunities to engage with EU policy in a more direct way,
giving members space to put forward their own priorities and vision for the Union.
And in case you’ve missed it, it’s now up to France to take the lead for the first half of 2022.
The French presidency has put forward three big ambitions for its term:
“a more sovereign Europe”, a “new European model for growth” and a “humane Europe”.
More specifically, France would like to bring a successful conclusion to some of the major legislative files of the moment:
the introduction of a minimum wage throughout the bloc,
the regulation of digital giants with the DMA and the DSA
and the introduction of a carbon tax on products imported into Europe.
President Emmanuel Macron also said he wanted to work on reforming the Schengen area
to better "protect Europe's borders" in the face of migratory crises.
Moreover, he would like to see the completion of the Strategic Compass, the future EU white paper on security,
being perhaps the foundation of a future Europe of defence.
Finally, Macron could take advantage of being in charge to launch a reflection on the revision of the budgetary rules of the 27,
which France considers "obsolete".
As the presiding country of the EU Council, France will get to host many events at home.
Beyond the usual meetings of ministers and the conferences, the French will be chairing three major summits,
which are intended to reflect a special focus on certain issues.
On the 11th of February, the maritime community and the European heads of state will gather in Brest for the “One Ocean Summit”,
where they will discuss initiatives for ocean research, protection and management.
A week later in Brussels, on the 17th and the 18th, Macron and his European counterparts will host the African Union’s leaders
to define the future relationships between the 27 and Africa.
Finally, the French president has invited the EU leaders on March 10th and 11th
to explore this "new European model" aiming at sustainable growth, better jobs, innovation and excellence.
The presidency falls to France at a particular time, as next April will also see the presidential elections.
Opposition parties have been very critical of this timing,
saying that it is a waste of time because the mandate will be slowed down or disrupted, at best,
or it will allow Macron to use European issues to campaign for his own re-election, at worst.
If he succeeds in bringing France’s priority projects to a successful conclusion,
he will definitely highlight in the election campaign these successes, his sense of compromise, and his weight on the international scene.
You have understood, Mr. President, that we have a fundamental divergence on the Europe we want.
Our Europe will never be the same as yours,
the Europe of climate renunciation, of glyphosate, of the unfettered circulation of goods, services and finance,
and Europe of walls, barbed wire, watchtowers and humiliations for women and men.
While France needs to shine again to express its power, you have dimmed its light.
It is thus vital for France and for Europe that your mandate remains unique.
But it is a double-edged sword.
Just as in Strasbourg this week when Macron’s political opponents
were keen to show they will waste no time in using any setbacks to weaken him.
The French presidency has just started.
Let’s see how this is going to play out in the next few months
but one thing for sure, there are high expectations for Macron from both Paris and Brussels.