Brief
What is the real room for manoeuvre of an EU Presidency ?
On July 1st, 2008, France took over from Slovenia to the head of the Presidency of the European Union Council (EU). It is the twelfth time when France exercises this mandate since 1951. In 2008, as during the previous exercise, which took place during the second half-year of year 2000, the French presidency is situated at a delicate moment.
Le 1er juillet 2008, la France a pris la relève de la Slovénie aux commandes de la Présidence du Conseil de l’Union Européenne (UE). C’est la douzième fois que la France exerce ce mandat depuis 1951. En 2008, comme lors de l’exercice précédent, qui eut lieu lors du second semestre de l’année 2000, la présidence française se situe à un moment délicat. Il y a huit ans, les négociations houleuses du Traité de Nice étaient au coeur des débats. Aujourd’hui, les aléas de la ratification du Traité de Lisbonne tiendront une large place sur l’agenda. à€ la différence d’hier, cependant, la présidence française intervient alors que de nombreux et profonds bouleversements ont commencé à affecter la nature et, dès lors, l’exercice de cette fonction. Depuis quelques années, la Présidence du Conseil, est, en effet, en proie à un phénomène de mutation interne important. Ce processus de réforme, précipité par la volonté des gouvernements des États membres d’améliorer l’efficacité et la continuité des travaux du Conseil dans une Europe élargie à 27 pays, se matérialise en la mise en place de formules novatrices telles que les présidences stables, super partes ou encore la programmation collective des activités du Conseil.
à€ l’heure actuelle, il ne reste plus qu’une version amputée du système de rotation unique tel que conçu aux origines de la construction européenne. Celui-ci s’est vu peu à peu remplacé par un système à géométrie variable ; un modèle nouveau caractérisé par la juxtaposition de plusieurs systèmes présidentiels qui agissent en parallèle, tout en étant régulés par des normes de fonctionnement distinctes. l’objectif de cette contribution consiste à mettre en lumière ce processus de conversion institutionnelle et, plus particulièrement la progressive « communautarisation » de la Présidence, cette institution de rang intermédiaire au sein du système politique européen.
SUR LE MÊME THÈME
ON THE SAME THEME
PUBLICATIONS
Green Deal: towards a “European regulatory pause”?
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/decryptagebleu.png)
United in diversity? National responses to the European energy crisis
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
FRENCH-STYLE EUROSCEPTICISM
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/rapportbleu.png)
Teaching Europe in France
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/blogpostbleu.png)
French public opinion and Europe
between distrust and ambivalence
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/blogpostbleu.png)
Now or Never
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/blogpostbleu.png)
The European ambition of President Macron and the reactions in Europe to his project
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
French and Europeans: Stronger Together!
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
Living Together Facing Fears: the French Political Dilemma
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/policypaperbleu.png)
The new French Regions, from a European standpoint
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/policypaperbleu.png)
France: A hotbed of opposition to the TTIP?
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/policypaperbleu.png)
European elections: What form of cohabitation between France and the EU?
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/decryptagebleu.png)
What the French told us about the employement in the EU
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
What the French told us about the European democracy
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
What the French told us about euro
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
What the French told us about globalisation
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
Defence: The French ambition for Europe
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
Francia: triste dilemma
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
France votes: Europe intrudes
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
“Europe without barriers” and “Europe that protects”
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
Think Global – Act European I (TGAE I). The contribution of 13 European Think Tanks to the French, Czech and Swedish EU Trio Presidency.
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/rapportbleu.png)
The French Presidency of the EU Council: a big boat in stormy weather”
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
The French Presidency of the EU Council
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/decryptagebleu.png)
How to Explain the Unexpected: An Assessment of the French Constitutional Referendum
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/policypaperbleu.png)
Europe in the French Presidential Elections: Side Show, Fall Guy or Just Conspicuous by its Absence?
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/policypaperbleu.png)
Constitutional referendum in France: a mid-term assessment
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
The Impact of the Television Media on the French Referendum Campaign in 2005
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/rapportbleu.png)
The European Constitution and deliberation: the Example of deliberative focus groups ahead of the French Referendum of 29 May 2005
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/rapportbleu.png)
The French “no” vote of 29 May 2005: understand, act
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/rapportbleu.png)
Adress to the Symposium of “Témoin” Club
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/autredocumentbleu.png)
The European debate in France at the start of the French presidency
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/rapportbleu.png)
MÉDIAS
MEDIAS
What a cohabitation would mean for trade policy
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/articlebleu.png)
Experten zum ersten Wahlgang in Frankreich: Wie geht es nach dem Sieg der Rechten weiter?
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/articlebleu.png)
Far-right Bardella wants France’s EU money back. He’ll have to think again.
![](https://institutdelors.eu/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-Theme/images/articlebleu.png)