A ceremony in Dublin Castle; a bilateral meeting with the Commission in Brussels; and the forthcoming exposition of the programme before the Parliament in Strasbourg: these are the first three official stages of Ireland’s six months’ Presidency of the European Council. On 1st January 2004 the Republic of Ireland assumed the reins of the Union at a crucial stage in its history: the dates of its enlargement (1st May) and the elections of the European Parliament (10-13 June) are imminent, while the negotiations to give a Constitution to the EU have been suspended, following the failure of the Brussels summit in mid-December. The Irish taoiseach (premier) Bertie Ahern gave a foretaste on New Year’s Day of the main lines of the Irish semester, which he then discussed with the President of the executive, Romano Prodi, on 6 January. He is due to present the Irish programme to the European Parliament on Wednesday 14 January. “The Union said Ahern is proof that peoples prosper when they are able to put their differences to one side and concentrate on what it is that unites them”. He referred extensively to the historic enlargement of the EU to Eastern and Southern Europe. The new President of the European Council also confirmed the pledge to revive the discussion on the constitutional Treaty. “We will also ensure that the most urgent questions concerning the Union will be addressed: the economic reform, justice and the development of Europe’s relations with its partners, near and far”, with particular attention to transatlantic relations.
