Romania takes over Presidency of EU Council on January 1st 2019. Priorities

On 1 January 2019, Romania takes over the six-months rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, for the first time since its accession to the EU in 2007. Romanian Presidency of the EU Council will run under the motto “Cohesion, a common European value” and, as Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă announced on 19 December 2018, priorities will be centered in four pillars:

- Europe of convergence,

- Europe of safety,

- Europe – global actor,

- Europe of common values.

Europe of convergence

Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU will contribute to projecting the next Multiannual Financial Framework post-2020 in view of reaching the targets in the next seven years so as to ensure balance between policies generating growth and convergence in the community space. Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU also aims to "advance economic, financial and fiscal works in order to stimulate growth and investment, support structural reforms", and to contribute to "strengthening the Economic and Monetary Union. "Digitization of the European industry will be a first priority national topic to be promoted at EU level. We will stimulate the diversification of the current industrial base in the EU by promoting digitization and implementing artificial intelligence in industrial processes. Another priority is connectivity. Ensuring real convergence depends directly on making connections of all kinds, especially in less developed areas. Connecting these regions to the rest of Europe in all possible forms through transport, energy or digital networks is one of the most secure and most efficient ways of development. Connectivity ensures the functional circulation flows of commodity, natural resources, energy or human resources, essential for economic development", Romanian Prime Minister said.

Europe of safety

"With regard to internal security, we will focus on increasing cooperation and inter-operability at European level between specific national systems and structures. We are mainly interested in protecting citizens, companies and public institutions in the online space and increasing the Union's resilience to cyberattacks. Cybersecurity can no longer be considered as an option, so any project concerning the information society must take into account the cybersecurity component. At the helm of the EU Council, we intend to make a decisive contribution in this area", Prime Minister underlined. She pointed out that another priority related to the security of the community space is the fight against terrorism. "We aim for operationalization and even extension of the mandate of the European Prosecutor's Office to cover terrorist offenses", Dăncilă said. Prime Minister also raised another important topic on the European agenda - migration. "It is an extremely difficult file that has failed to ensure a unitary position of the Member States, and we are therefore planning to formulate new solutions that guarantee efficient and sustainable management. We are particularly interested in strengthening the external borders of the EU, including by strengthening the operational capability of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. It is also important in our view to promote cooperation with the countries of origin and transit and I am convinced that the most effective way to address the issue of migration is to combat its deep root causes, the source of this phenomenon".

Europe - global actor

Romanian Presidency takes into account that the EU's global actions must start from the joint commitments assumed by the Global Strategy for the European Union's Foreign and Security Policy. "We will promote the strengthening of the EU defense and security capabilities in close relation with similar processes within NATO". A special chapter on the Foreign Policy of the Union during Romania’s Presidency will be dedicated to the Black Sea. Another external priority will be EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, with the aim of ensuring additional external and internal security. “We will focus on developing dialogue and involving youth, and on EU's strategic communication dedicated to Southeast Europe. Equally, we target coordinated and coherent actions in the neighborhood of the Union, and the 10th anniversary since the launch of the Eastern Partnership will be an important moment in this respect", Prime Minister said.

Europe of common values

"Europe of common values" is about stimulating European cohesion by continually relating to the common values on which the Union is based. "Only in this way can we effectively combat racism, intolerance, xenophobia, populism, anti-Semitism and discourage hate speech. Only by doing so can we contribute to ensuring equal treatment for all member states and all European citizens. I also think it is necessary to stimulate the involvement of young people in the shaping of a strong Europe based on common European values", Prime Minister also said. Romanian Prime Minister on Sibiu EU Summit scheduled for 2019: "I strongly believe that 2019 can relaunch the European idea, and the extraordinary EU Summit in Sibiu is to be an important moment in this respect. We are working together for this event, which will take place during the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, to define the new Strategic Agenda of the Union - a document that will guide the Union's actions in the medium term. More than ever, Member States need to send a clear signal regarding the ability to carry on together along the same lines, in a strong and united project", Prime Minister stated during Romanian Parliament's plenary session. Romanian EU Presidency will also seek to further implement the European Pillar of Social Rights, further develop European defense policy and European defense capabilities, and make sure that European efforts remain consistent with NATO efforts.

In all of the above, Romanian Presidency of the EU Council will seek to place the citizens at the center of the program, in order to focus on policies that improve people’s lives.

NOTE

Council of the European Union

Council of the European Union is one of the key institutions in the European Union structure, alongside the European Parliament and the European Commission. It is not to be mistaken with the European Council (Heads of State and Government of EU Member States) or with the Council of Europe (international organization headquartered in Strasbourg, France and focused on Human Rights, with no connection with the EU institutions).

Council of the European Union is an essential EU decision-maker, part of EU key institutional triangle Parliament-Council-Commission that negotiates and adopts EU laws together with the European Parliament. Council of the EU also coordinates Member States' policies, develops EU's common Foreign and Security Policy, concludes international agreements and adopts the EU budget.

Presidency of the Council

Presidency of the Council rotates among the EU Member States every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the Presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure continuity of EU's work in the Council. Presidency is responsible for driving forward Council's work on EU legislation, ensuring continuity of the EU agenda, orderly legislative processes and cooperation among member states. To do this, Presidency must act as an honest and neutral broker. Presidency has two main tasks: a) Planning and chairing meetings in the Council and its preparatory bodies and b) Representing the Council in relations with the other EU institutions.

European Union Trio

Member States holding the Presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda determining the topics and major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18 month period. On the basis of this program, each of the three countries prepares its own more detailed 6-month program. Current EU trio is made up of Presidencies of the Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria. Starting with January 1st, 2019, next trio will be ensured by Romania, Finland and Croatia.

Source:RRA, EU Council