Brussels, 22/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - "The Dutch Presidency of the European Union- Reconciling duty with interest". Under this title, in the latest EuroComment Briefing Note, Peter Ludlow anticipates a tough Presidency, which is at the same time exposed to difficult discussions on a range of dossiers- which will be partly resolved by the following Presidencies- just at the start of the phase of ratifying the European Constitution (to be signed under the Dutch Presidency: see yesterday's EUROPE, p.4). Furthermore, adds Mr Ludlow, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende will have to "operate against a background in which the national consensus on both domestic and European affairs has broken down" and, "in a diabolic twist of fate, the Presidency will have to confront precisely those questions that are amongst the most divisive in the Dutch domestic debate on the EU; the pace and limits of enlargement, including Turkey's candidature, the future of the Union's finances, immigration policy and the fight against terrorism, the reform of the Stability Pact", not to mention the ratification of the Constitution (for the priorities of the Dutch Presidency, see EUROPE of 10 June, pages 7 and 8).
In his report, Peter Ludlow strongly stresses the commitment and skills of those who will lead the next six months. Prime Minister Balkenende has made it "absolutely clear that he intends to lead the Presidency team himself", notes Mr Ludlow, adding: Mr Balkenende has "asked Bernard Bot [the doyen of the Committee of Permanent Representatives when he took up his duties] to be Foreign Minister, with the Presidency of the Council in mind" (Bernard Bot, Mr Ludlow points out, was deputy ambassador of the Netherlands to NATO alongside the current Secretary General of the Alliance De Hoop Scheffer, and then ambassador to Ankara, "where his already strong Turkophile sentiments were reinforced"). Bernard Bot has an excellent relationship with the Minister for European Affairs, Atzko Nikolai, and his successor to Brussels, ambassador Tom de Bruijn, is "firmly integrated with the ministry of foreign affairs apparatus", and is in The Hague almost every Friday. Among the other heavyweights of the Presidency, Mr Ludlow refers to the Finance Minister, VVD Liberal Gerrit Zalm, "who "can be very strict", but who has been "an easier partner since his return to government than when he was outside it"), Justice Minister JPH Donner (the JHA dossier is one of the priorities of this Presidency), and Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, who will chair the Competitiveness Council, and one of the founder members of the left-wing liberal Democratie 66 party, a previous chef de bureau of the European Commission in Tokyo, Director General for the Environment of the European Commission, and an MEP).
Mr Ludlow also tries to anticipate the nature of the two European Councils to be held under the Dutch Presidency. The first summit, to be held on 5 November, will be punctuated by the discussion on the Wim Kok report (former Dutch Prime Minister) on the mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy of 2000, just a few days after its presentation to the new European Commission on 1 November. Justice and Home Affairs will be a major theme of this European Council, which, according to Mr Ludlow, is likely to be "quite quiet". This, however, will probably not be true of the European Council of 17 December, where important decisions on Turkey are to be taken. On the financial perspectives post 2007, negotiations will continue under the Luxembourg Presidency, but Mr Ludlow feels that the debate could already be quite tense at the December summit, because in this dossier, the Netherlands, as a Member State not as President, are "part of the problem, rather than part of the solution". The Dutch Presidency, says Mr Ludlow, should also launch a review of the Stability Pact, but this would be a long process it could not hope to complete.
(The Briefing Notes can be obtained from EuroComment, 113 avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels. Tel +32 2 535 7325. Fax +32 2 535 7319. Info@eurocomment.be http: //eurocomment.be)