Slovakia takes the lead: the work continues
The first Slovak presidency of the Council of the European Union starts today. Until the end of the year, the Republic of Slovakia will lead Member states (MS) negotiations on a wide range of important issues, in particular EU’s top 10 policy priorities. Those priorities include measures in the realm of growth & jobs, security, the digital world, migration, trade (in particular TTIP), climate action and energy, or external action (see EU’s new Global Strategy). The Slovak Presidency will obviously also play an important role in dealing with the outcome of the British referendum.
The Slovak government will chair all Member state negotiations at technical, ambassadorial and ministerial levels, with the exception of the Foreign Affairs Council (led by EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on issues other than trade) and discussions within the Eurozone (led by the President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem).
Since the Presidency is represented by EU Delegations in third countries, the EU Delegation to the U.S. will work hand-in-hand with the embassy of Slovakia. This close coordination has actually already started, as illustrated by our joint EU Rendez-Vous on the priorities of the Slovak Presidency organized at the EU Delegation last April 18th. This policy event featured Ivan Korčok, Slovak State Secretary of Foreign and European Affairs, and coordinator of the Slovak Presidency. He had made it clear that Slovakia was “standing ready, even for the unexpected”.
This is largely unknown, but EU Delegations abroad and Member state embassies coordinate their diplomatic efforts intensely. In the U.S., EU ambassador David O’Sullivan (@EUambUS) gathers his MS counterparts every month (including earlier today), and these coordination meetings are even more frequent at staff level. In practice, several European ambassadors for instance jointly advocated for the Iran Deal on Capitol Hill a couple of months ago. The EU Delegation also works closely with MS consuls throughout the U.S., some of whom represent the EU locally (“EU Local Chairs”). This coordination is naturally more intense with the embassy of the country holding the Council Presidency. In the past few months, the EU Delegation has therefore been working with the Dutch embassy on a daily basis so as to prepare official visits, EU/US policy dialogues or outreach events.
At today’s opening ceremony in Bratislava, Slovak President Andrej Kiska explained why July 1st was an historic moment for Slovakia and for Europe. He reminded everyone that the EU was an “unprecedented project of peace, and we all carry responsibility for Europe: not only Brussels but also Tallinn, Madrid, Prague, Warsaw or Rome. We need to restore trust and self-confidence”.
In difficult times, the Slovak Presidency is a powerful reminder of what the EU has achieved: reuniting the European continent. Slovakia takes the lead and, together, we shall overcome current challenges as we’ve always done. To quote the President of the European Council Donald Tusk: “the EU couldn’t wish for a better presidency”.
By Martin Caudron (T: @caudronmartin), Senior Communications Officer at @EUintheUS
