French presidency of the European Union from January 1, 2022: how does it work?

Emmanuel Macron presented Thursday, December 9 his priorities for the French presidency of the European Union, which begins this Saturday, January 1 and lasts six months, succeeding Slovenia. This function, which France had not occupied for 13 years, allows to exert a certain influence on the orientations of the Union, even if the perimeter is very limited. The presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy during the second half of 2008, was exercised in a different organization chart, profoundly modified since by the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon the following year.

It is not only the French president who becomes that of the Council of the European Union, but his entire government which symbolically takes the head of that of Europe. Thus, each French minister will chair the meetings of his European counterparts in his field of competence. With the notable exception of Diplomacy and Defense: it is Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who retains control over these two particular areas – a position in which The Spaniard was appointed in 2019 by the Commission, for a five-year term.

The steering function of the rotating presidency has also been limited by the creation of a post of president of the European Council, since 2009, currently occupied by the Belgian liberal Charles Michel- and whose mandate runs until the end of the presidency. French. He is notably the one who chairs the summits of heads of state and government, convened several times a year. Another limit to the power of the country to which the rotating presidency falls, the prerogatives of the European Commission, of which the launching of bills is not the least.

The functioning of the rotating presidency now supposes close cooperation between three countries which will succeed each other over 18 months, to facilitate the transition and guarantee the continuity of European guidelines over at least eighteen months, and not six. The “trio” of France thus includes the Czech Republic and Sweden, which will afterwards assume the rotating presidency.

It remains for the six-monthly presidency to set the agenda of the European Union, to convene specific meetings of ministers from the 27 Member States, to lead the negotiations, and thus to have a considerable influence on the general orientation of Europe. In the case of a legislative text to be adopted, for example, it often has a decisive role in finding an agreement between the member countries and the European Parliament. To consolidate its authority, it also has the upper hand over nearly 150 working groups and expert committees, whose steering has a definite influence on the content of Union policy.

As he prepares to take the head of Europe for six months, for the 13th presidency of France since the first in 1959, Emmanuel Macron has promised that all his priorities will be inspired by the three axes: “revival, power and

membership”. Chance of the European and French calendars, this presidency will begin in the middle of the electoral campaign, for which the current tenant of the Elysee is not (yet) officially a candidate.

Note: symbolically, Friday December 31 at 8 p.m., many monuments of the capital will be illuminated in the colors of the EU to mark the start of this presidency: Elysée Palace, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Invalides, Notre -Lady of Paris, Panthéon, Louvre or Opéra Garnier.