This is also the first time that Hungary is assuming the presidency and is the third presidency within the new system of trio presidencies formalised by the Treaty of Lisbon. As of 1 January of this year, Spain, Belgium and Hungary have been working together and pushing forward an 18-month common programme. The new trio presidency, consisting of Poland, Denmark and Cyprus, will launch its programme on 1 July of this year. As is well known by now, Malta will hold the presidency between January and June of 2017. Preceding Malta within the same trio one finds the Netherlands and Slovakia.

2010 was the first year during which the modifications to the EU treaties, introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon, have been in operation. In fact, the Spanish presidency (January – June) was considered to be a transitional presidency given that it was the first time that a Member State took over the Council presidency without also presiding over the European Council which brings together EU Heads of State or Government. The new system also provides a permanent president for the Foreign Affairs Council.

This resulted in a separation between “General Affairs” and “Foreign Affairs” with the Member State in office presiding the former and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presiding the latter. By the time Belgium took over from Spain, the new set up had already been tested and possibly the fact that fellow country man Herman Van Rompuy holds the office of President of the European Council also allowed the system to work better. One needs to avoid a situation where the presidency of the European Council, the High Representative and the rotating presidency appear to be competing against one another. Moreover, one hopes that the EU’s external representation has not been complicated even further by the addition of yet another president and institution.

At the beginning of last December, the EU’s diplomatic service, known as the European External Action Service (EEAS), started to operate. Headed by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, who is also a Vice President of the European Commission, the setting up of the EEAS was not free from controversy including an inter-institutional debate of the composition and funding of the Service. Furthermore, the distribution of posts in the EEAS between nationals of the 27 Member States also created some apprehension when Ashton announced the first 28 ambassadors.

Of these, 12 were selected from national administrations, while 16 came from the European Commission. Thirteen Member States, including Malta and most of the new Member States, did not have any of their nationals selected. For the time being it appears that the intention is for members of the EEAS to be recruited from the Commission, the Council, and national diplomatic services.

Is this the Europe that should be speaking with one voice? Indeed, inter-institutional disagreement and competing national interests have always been part of the EU process. However, this has invariably led to an agreement that ultimately all are happy with. Europe is unique precisely because of its diversities. Respecting these diversities has not, however, prevented 27 countries from “creating an ever closer union” among their peoples “resolved to share a peaceful future based on common values”. 2011 will not be an easy year for the EU. However, Europe’s strength is its capacity to adapt.

Vanni Xuereb is head of MEUSAC