An Overall Assessment of the French EU Presidency
An Overall Assessment of the French EU Presidency

Summary/Abstract: By the first day of the New Year, a new leaf was turned over for the European Union. The Czech Republic which assumed the EU’s six-month Presidency from France on January 1 will be presiding over the meetings of the EU-27 between January and June 2009. It will be the first time for the Czechs to undertake such a critical post at the EU level since they became a full member of the Union in December 2004. Prague is expected to face with an arduous EU agenda especially in terms of global financial crisis, energy security and foreign affairs which have recently gained great importance. Hence, the Presidency introduced its priorities as “3 E’s” as Economy, Energy and External relations. However, allegations relating to the Czech President Vaclav Klaus’ skeptical approach towards the European integration pose some concerns among the political and academic circles of whether this small country with only limited European experience can shoulder this responsibility.

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