UK Presidency of the EU 2005
The UK will hold the Presidency of the EU for the sixth
time from 1 July to 31 December 2005. The UK succeeds
Luxembourg, which held the Presidency from 1 January to 30
June 2005, and will be followed by Austria from 1 January
next year.
What is the Presidency?
Every 6 months, the Presidency of the European Union
passes from one Member State to another. Holding the office
of Presidency will mean that the UK chairs the meetings of
the
Council of the
European Union in Brussels and Luxembourg and its
constituent groups.
The UK will represent the European Council in its
dealings with other institutions and bodies of the EU, such
as the
European
Commission and the
European
Parliament.
Finally, the UK will act on behalf of the EU in
international fora such as the United Nations and the World
Trade Organisation.
The UK Presidency
The UK has worked closely with other Presidencies,
particularly the
Luxembourg
and Austrian Presidencies, and with the European Commission
to ensure continuity. Throughout our Presidency we will
work in partnership with the European Parliament, the
Commission and the other Member States.
Presidency Priorities
The main priorities for the UK Presidency reflect the
issues identified in the both the Multi-Annual Strategic
Programme for 2004-2006, which was drawn up by the 6
succeeding Presidencies for the period 2004-2006, and the
joint Luxembourg-UK Work Programme published in December
2004.
Multiannual Strategic Programme 2004-2006 (pdf)
Luxembourg and UK Work Programme (pdf)
The UK wants to run an effective and efficient
Presidency, focused on its priorities. These include taking
work forward on economic reform, security, climate change
and Africa. Many of the Presidency priorities, such as
better regulation, the Services Directive, environment and
sustainable development, and climate change are very
relevant to Scotland. The UK also currently holds the
Presidency of the G8 and aims to push forward work on
Africa and climate change, co-ordinating these two powerful
groups of nations.
Further information on the UK Presidency priorities can
be found on the official Presidency website at
www.eu2005.gov.uk
The Presidency Logo
Every Presidency is
given an identity through a logo, which makes it easier for
the public and other Member States to recognise it. The UK
Presidency logo for 2005 is 12 migrating swans in flight
(12 being the number of stars on the EU flag).
Migrating birds fly in a V formation - this is highly
efficient because all the birds in the formation (except
for the leader) are in the slipstream of another bird.
Periodically the leading bird drops back and another bird
moves up to take its place. The idea is therefore a
metaphor for leadership, teamwork and efficiency, which is
particularly appropriate for the EU, given the system of
rotating leadership
Scotland and the Presidency
Scotland will have an important part to play in
assisting the overall UK effort to deliver an efficient and
successful Presidency. Scottish Ministers will continue to
work closely with their UK counterparts on issues of
interest to Scotland and will continue to attend Council
meetings where discussions are of particular relevance to
Scotland.
Scottish Ministers will also be welcoming many of the
delegates to the various Presidency related events,
meetings and visits taking place in Scotland during the 6
months of the UK Presidency. Over 30 Presidency related
events are happening here, varying in size and nature from
big one-off conferences to small meetings of senior
officials. Several thousand visitors from all over Europe
will come to Scotland for these meetings and we hope they
will receive a typically warm Scottish welcome.
Find Out More…
The best source of information and news on the UK
Presidency is the official Presidency website at
www.eu2005.gov.uk
.
Information on the Scottish Executive's involvement in
the Presidency can be obtained from Europe Division -
Europe@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
.
For information on the events taking place in Scotland
please see the relevant contacts listed on the events
page.