Council of the EU: assessment of the German, Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies

“The three Presidencies are determined to do whatever is necessary to strengthen Europe's resilience, protect our citizens and overcome the crisis, while preserving our European values ​​and way of life”. Faced with the biggest pandemic the world has seen in decades, the German (July-December 2020), Portuguese (January-June 2021) and Slovenian (July-December 2021) presidencies have been forced to re-examine their work program, published a few weeks before the German Presidency. Between July 2020 and December 2021, the ministers of these three countries successively led the Councils, by thematic formation. A look back at the significant achievements of this trio of presidencies.

Germany, a “coronavirus-presidency”

It is an understatement to say that Germany had to review its priorities when taking over the Presidency of the Council in July 2020. While most Member States were emerging from several weeks of confinement and many economic activities were living under the infusion of aid States, the European Union was engaged in negotiations to define the next multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, the EU budget. What to launch a “presidency-coronavirus”, according to the expression of Paul Maurice, specialist in politics across the Rhine.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pleaded ahead of this presidency for the new multiannual budget of the EU to be an opportunity for an economic “revitalization” of Europe. Initially skeptical of the idea of ​​a common indebtedness of the Member States, Chancellor Angela Merkel agrees with the proposal of 9 countries, including France, Italy and Portugal, to create a common debt instrument. On May 18, 2020, France and Germany thus unveiled the project for a recovery fund of 500 billion euros for the EU, including loans contracted by the European Commission on the financial markets. This presents “NextGeneration EU” a few days later.

It is in this context that Berlin took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on July 1, 2020. After four days of negotiations, the Twenty-Seven finally reached an agreement on the multiannual budget and the recovery plan on July 21, 2020. Endowed with 750 billion euros – including 390 billion in the form of grants and 360 billion in loans – this unprecedented recovery plan is the first major joint debt effort by the Member States.

Despite the reluctance of the "frugal" countries (the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Finland), Germany's "coronavirus presidency" ended with the final adoption of the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework in December 2020.

Germany also played an important role on the particularly sensitive Brexit issue. On December 24, 2020, the European Commission and the United Kingdom finally concluded a trade and cooperation agreement. Berlin supported the European executive during these negotiations and took care to maintain the unity of the Twenty-Seven in their dialogue with London.

Other achievements during the German presidency: progress in an investment agreement with China, the establishment of a dialogue on the rule of law in Europe.

Portugal, a prolific presidency

More than 550 events and around twenty agreements concluded in Brussels: this is the assessment of the Portuguese presidency claimed by Lisbon. Following Germany, Portugal indeed led the meetings of European ministers between January 1 and June 31, 2021, a period that we ourselves had described as “prolific”.

Among the highlights of this half of 2021, the adoption of the climate law was particularly decisive. This success was designated at the time as “the great achievement” of the Portuguese at the head of the Council of the EU by the Minister of the Environment João Pedro Matos Fernandes. This European regulation sets in stone a series of European Union climate commitments, such as carbon neutrality by 2050 and the intermediate objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55%. 2030.

It was also under the Portuguese presidency that an agreement was reached in June 2021 on the Just Transition Fund. Intended to support the territories, which can be weakened by the ecological transition (such as those which depend on coal), this financial instrument of 17.5 billion euros must prevent a worsening of inequalities between European regions.

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Still in the field of sustainable development, the Portuguese Presidency organized the EU-Africa Green Talks on the theme of green investments on the African continent. In partnership with the European Investment Bank , many events were held in Senegal, Algeria, Angola, Spain and Germany, before the EU-Africa High Level Forum on Green Investment on April 23, 2021 in Lisbon.

The holding of a social summit in Porto on May 7 and 8 was finally one of the highlights of this first half of 2021. At the end of this meeting, three objectives were set: to achieve an employment rate of 78% for 20-64 year olds, enable 60% of European adults to have access to training each year and enable 15 million Europeans, including 5 million children, to no longer be threatened by poverty and 'exclusion.

Other achievements during the Portuguese presidency: several agreements on the new programs of the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, an agreement on the next CAP, support for the vaccination campaign in the EU and the adoption of the Covid-19 digital certificate. 19 to travel in Europe.

Slovenia, a presidency to move matters forward

“Some issues that were completed during the Slovenian Presidency were started during the German or Portuguese Presidency,” Prime Minister Janez Janša said after a meeting of the European Council on 17 December, stressing the importance of continuity and trios in the European legislative process. A few days earlier, his Minister of Foreign Affairs had defended the Slovenian record before MEPs in Strasbourg, claiming up to 20 closed files within the trilogues, these meetings between the Parliament and the Council in order to find compromises on legislative projects.

Pandemic obliges, several advances are to be noted in the health field. Member States and MEPs have, for example, agreed to strengthen the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and reached a compromise to extend the mandate of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), intended to improve the surveillance of epidemics .

Other achievements during the Slovenian Presidency: validation of several national recovery plans, agreement on an emergency plan to guarantee food supply and security, agreement on a framework for minimum wages, conclusions on the enlargement to the Western Balkans.

With regard to the digital sector, the Slovenians managed to find an agreement between the Twenty-Seven on two major texts: the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The latter, a project for the regulation of digital platforms, will in particular be able to be debated in trilogue under the French presidency. The Twenty-Seven and the European Parliament have also renewed for 10 additional years the abolition of roaming charges for travelers who are no longer overcharged when they call or send SMS from another European country.

As Janez Janša expressed it, “much of what has been started is now in the hands of the French presidency”. The appointment is made for the beginning of the year 2022.

The program of the new trio

France is launching a new trio with the PFUE which begins on January 1, 2022. The Presidency of the Council of the EU will then be held by the Czech Republic (second half of 2022) then Sweden (first half of 2023). The three countries have agreed on a set of priorities and four themes will be supported by these Member States.

The protection of citizens and freedoms, first of all, by strengthening the rule of law within the European Union, for example. The trio wishes to fight against illegal migration and to continue the work devoted to the pact on migration and asylum.

Then, the trio highlighted the promotion of a new European growth and investment model. This requires the implementation of national recovery plans and support for Member States in the digital transition of their economy. France, the Czech Republic and Sweden also intend to build a Europe that is greener, more socially equitable and more protective of health. This means continuing to implement the European Green Deal, in particular the climate package presented by the Commission in July 2020.

Finally, in terms of external relations, they defend a “global Europe” which promotes multilateralism as well as a common approach in matters of defense and foreign policy.

Find the full program of the former trio from July 2020 to December 2021