EUROPEAN UNION

EU to close the gap to replace Britain as EU president of late 2017

July 1, 2017

Britain’s vote last June to leave the European Union means that the country will not take over the presidency of the bloc from Malta for the second half of 2017. The Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee has decided to close the gap by shifting the terms forward. Estonia, previously set to follow Britain, will now follow Malta and take the helm six months early.

The committee had considered other options. Hungary and Belgium offered to substitute for Britain, and Malta and Estonia proposed splitting Britain’s term between them. The split would have given each nine months at the helm instead of six.

The presidency mainly involves setting the EU agenda and chairing ministerial meetings during the six-month term.

Slovakia took the helm on Jul 1, 2016. Malta followed on Jan 1, 2017. Bulgaria follows Estonia, serving from Jan 1, 2018.

#21742 Published: July 21, 2016