From 1 July 2011, for the first time since its accession to the European Union in 2004, Poland takes over the rotating six month Presidency of the European Union from Hungary.
As the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Poland will be responsible for organising and chairing all meetings of the Council except for the Foreign Affairs Council, which is chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Catherine Ashton; representing the Council of the European Union in its dealings with other EU institutions; as well as representing the EU in its international relations.
The political agenda of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU aims at leading the European Union towards faster economic growth and an enhanced political community. In order to achieve these objectives, Poland is going to concentrate on three fundamental priorities: fostering economic growth, improving the macroeconomic, energy, food and defence security of Europe; and supporting the EU’s foreign and security policy to boost the Union’s position internationally. On the latter, Poland intends to take action to proliferate European values and regulations, including further EU enlargement and development of co-operation with neighbouring countries. In the framework of the Eastern Partnership, a project initiated by Poland together with Sweden, Poland wishes for the process of signing association agreements and creating free trade areas (i.e. in negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova) to continue. The Polish Presidency will also pursue the objective of negotiating the liberalisation of the visa regime. Key political decisions to this end are expected to be made during an Eastern Partnership Summit, which will gather all heads of state and of governments of member and partner states in Warsaw, the capital of Poland in September 2011.
For the official Presidency website please follow the link: http://pl2011.eu/en