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Members of the European Parliament at the European Parliament in Strasbourg - Source: Reuters -
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Spain takes over the presidency of the European Union for six
months from January 1, with ambitious aims of securing the bloc's
economic recovery even as it tackles severe challenges to its
economy at home.
Following Sweden's busy six months at the helm, Spain has its work
cut out to overcome a growing budget deficit while trying to work
out a co-ordinated strategy among 27 EU member states to guide them
out of the financial crisis.
Sweden's presidency set a high standard for planning and
organisation, successfully ushering in the Lisbon reform treaty,
designed to smooth decision-making in the EU.
Spain has sought to play down expectations for its tenure, with
Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos saying this month it would
apply itself modestly and discreetly.
"Spain will not abandon its responsibilities ... but we will do it
with modesty, with discretion, through our work and our support,"
he told a briefing in Brussels.
Political analysts say Spain's high ambitions for its presidency
could ultimately make it unfocused, while others have expressed
concern about the extent of Spain's preparations.
In a policy paper setting out its agenda, Spain lists four
priorities, including guaranteeing the bloc's economic recovery,
fully applying the Lisbon treaty which creates a permanent EU
president and a high representative for foreign affairs, and
strengthening citizens' rights.
It is the economic agenda that is most challenging, particularly
the need for member states to coordinate action as they phase out
policies introduced to absorb the effects of the financial and
economic crisis.
"The member states have taken unprecedented fiscal measures to
combat the effects of the crisis," Spain says in the policy
document, which emphasises the need to roll back one-off measures
without further inflating deficits.
Yet, among the countries that will struggle the most to meet
targets in the EU's Stability and Growth Pact, which include a
budget deficit of less than three percent of GDP, is Spain whose
deficit is set to rise to 10% of output this year.
With unemployment at about 20% and the downgrading this month of
its debt outlook by ratings agency Standard & Poor's, Spain is
among the worst affected by the economic crisis and may struggle to
pursue an ambitious economic agenda.
Busy agenda
Another hefty responsibility will be ensuring that the Lisbon
treaty, which came into force on December 1, works as it was
designed to, streamlining decision-making via the presidency and
giving the EU a more powerful voice in foreign affairs.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and the EU's
new president, Herman Van Rompuy, met in Madrid two weeks ago to
discuss how they would balance their roles.
Spain has since appeared keen to give Van Rompuy the lead.
That should avoid, at least for the time being, any tension between
the country holding the six-month rotating presidency and the EU
president, who will have a renewable 2-1/2-year term.
But an unexpected event or a new crisis could destabilise that
delicate leadership balance.
At the same time, Spain will help to establish the European
External Action Service, a diplomatic corps created by the Lisbon
treaty that is designed to support the work of the new high
representative, Britain's Catherine Ashton.
Ashton is untested in foreign affairs and her ability to project
the EU on the world stage will depend to a large extent on the
quality of the diplomatic corps built around her.
With 12 summits in six months, including with Latin America, the
United States, Russia, Canada, Egypt, Chile, Japan, Morocco and
Pakistan, the EU's foreign affairs agenda is packed.
Spain also hopes to follow a full slate of social issues before
June 30, including a plan for greater gender equality in the
workplace, an initiative to strengthen citizens' rights, and
programmes to tackle violence against women.
