Beslissingen over benoemingen vallen donderdag op Europese Top (en)

At the EU summit next Thursday, the EU heads of state and government will decide who will get the Union’s new top jobs. The weightiest of the three posts is the European Council’s new permanent President, whose first day at work will be 1 December. But what does the job actually involve? se2009.eu has looked into the detail of the Treaty text and found the job description.

Previously the EU heads of state and government have had a new President every six months, as the Presidency of the Council passes from one country to another. However, with the Lisbon Treaty, which will come into force on 1 December, this will change. The European Council will get a permanent President with a term of office of two and a half years, with the possibility of a second term. The aim is to increase continuity in the guidelines for the EU’s work.

Zapatero and President to go hand in hand

We often here that there is not yet a clear job description for the new EU President because the rotating Presidency will continue even after 1 December. A different minister will continue to take the chairman’s gavel every six months at the meetings of the Council’s various meeting groups.

On the other hand, the new permanent President of the European Council will work alongside the head of state or government of the country chairing the meetings of the Council in the different areas such as financial affairs or justice at the time. Therefore it will now be the task of Spain’s Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero i to decide together with the new permanent President what form future cooperation will take in practice.

However, if we look at the text of the Treaty, there are already some guidelines. There it says that the President of the European Council shall “chair it and drive forward its work” and “ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council in cooperation with the President of the Commission”. Other duties include reporting to the European Parliament after each EU summit and representing the Union in international contexts.

Name decided next week

In accordance with the Lisbon Treaty the EU heads of state and government must agree on a candidate for the post of permanent President. The decision can be made by qualified majority, even if Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt i recently emphasised the importance of the heads of state and government being united in their nomination. It is hoped that a name can be agreed at the EU summit on 19 November.