Presidency of the Council of the EU: Luxembourg

The Council of the European Union is a EU institution which brings together ministers from each EU Member State who is qualified in a specific field of action (i.e. agriculture, trade, etc.). The Council of the EU votes on EU laws and budget which are proposed by the European Commission, in co-decision with the European Parliament. For more information in EU institutions, you can take a look at this article.

Since the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, the rotating presidency applies to the Council of the EU only, as the presidency of the European Council is now held by a President elected for two and a half years by the members of the European Council, who are the Heads of State or Government of each Member State.

Every six months, one of the Member States holds the presidency of the Council of the EU. From 1^st January to 30^th June 2015, Latvia took over the presidency. From 1^st July to 31^st December 2015, it will be Luxembourg.

Luxembourg has chosen to focus its presidency on the following points:

• Stimulating investment to boost growth and employment;
• Deepening the European Union's social dimension;
• Managing migration, combining freedom, justice and security;
• Revitalising the single market by focusing on its digital dimension;
• Placing European competitiveness in a global and transparent framework;
• Promoting sustainable development;
• Strengthening the European Union's presence on the global stage.

Three cross-cutting priorities will intervene in each axis mentioned above:

• Listen to the citizens;
• Supporting businesses;
• Cooperating with partners and institutions in order to act in the interests of Europe.

Several events will be organised to mark the Luxembourg Presidency.

From 1^st January 2016, the Netherlands will take the presidency of the Council of the EU.

Source:

www.eu2015lu.eu

www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/presidency-council-eu