In the first half of 2020, Croatia will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first time since it joined the EU. The Croatian Presidency programme will rest on four pillars that will promote a strong, prosperous and sustainable Europe based on common values and the principles of equality, inclusiveness, cohesion and convergence.
In the second half of 2019, Finland will hold for the third time the presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is a crucial period when the EU faces many environmental, economic, social and societal challenges, including the still-ongoing Brexit process and threats from populist forces in the Member States.
Main priorities of the Finnish Presidency include sustainable growth, protection of the rule of law, security policy and climate policy. All of these go hand in hand with the priorities of the EESC and form a good basis for future cooperation.
In the second half of 2018 Austria assumes the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the third time and the general motto of its presidency is "A Europe that protects". This publication presents the EESC's priorities during the Austrian Presidency.
This brochure presents the activities of the European Economic and Social Committee, voice of the European civil society, during the Bulgarian Presidency.
At the start of each Council Presidency the EESC outlines its priorities in an information brochure for the six-month period. With a very busy programme, the EESC brochure gives a taste of what to expect during the first-time Maltese Presidency.
For the first time in the history of the European Union, twelve years after its accession, the Slovak Republic will take up the presidency of the Council on 1 July.
The Dutch Presidency wants a Union that focuses on the essentials: jobs, growth and connection. Many challenges lie ahead: a.o. unemployment, poverty, an ageing population, the flow of refugees, the rapid change in the global economy, scarce resources, energy costs and the impact of climate change. The Dutch Presidency intends to promote a Union that connects, a Union based on fundamental values supported by its citizens.
The presidency is returning to Luxembourg, a founding Member State that not only plays joint host to the institutions but, thanks to its pivotal position in the centre of Europe, in fact helped to create the fledgling predecessor of today’s European Union. The Grand Duchy will undoubtedly bring to bear its unique and successful experience both in genuinely integrating itself into Europe, and in integrating Europe within its borders.
