Ierland presenteert agenda EU-voorzitterschap (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Ireland has laid out its plans for what is set to be a difficult and busy EU Presidency in the first half of next year.

With Dublin having to take on the aftermath of the failed Constitution talks, the battered euro rules and impending enlargement amid talks of the Union breaking into fragments, Foreign Minister Brian Cowen spoke of a "very full presidency".

"Ireland will place the highest responsibility on its IGC [talks on the EU Constitution] responsibilities," said Mr Cowen on Thursday (18 December).

Reporting in March

Dublin takes on negotiations on the Constitution after talks collapsed in acrimony last weekend.

Their position has been more difficult by the fact that in the last stages of bilateral negotiation at the summit, it was not clear exactly what compromises were agreed by each member state.

"We will take a detailed debriefing from the Italian Presidency", said Mr Cowen. He added that people needed to be given more time and space but if the "atmosphere is right, of course we're committed".

For the moment, the Irish Presidency will consult other member states and make a report which will be presented to EU leaders at a summit in March.

Mr Cowen would not speculate on whether the Constitution talks could be finished within his Presidency saying only that Ireland "was not part of the disagreement that took place [during the failed summit]" that may work in its favour in being perceived as an honest broker.

Other than the Constitution

Although the Constitution takes the headlines, the Irish have many other issues on their plate, too. They will also have to contend with talk about some member states going it alone at a faster pace than the rest.

"It is clear to me that we need to muster the necessary political will under the 25", said Mr Cowen.

The bad feeling between member states was exacerbated recently by a letter sent by six net contributors to the EU budget - France, Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands and the UK - demanding that it be curbed from 2007.

This has led to speculation about whether the talks on the Constitution and the EU budget will become bitterly entwined. Mr Cowen admitted that the talks were "related but not entangled".

Other important issues it will have to deal with include overseeing a smooth enlargement on 1 May, taking forward membership negotiations for Bulgaria and Romania and reviving the EU's flagging Lisbon Agenda which aims to revitalise Europe's economy by 2010.

Added to this will be the fact the Irish will be at the helm of the EU while the Union's institutions will have their minds elsewhere. The European Parliament will stop legislating after April as it turns towards the European elections in June.

Meanwhile, the Commission will go through a transitional period in May, enlarging to 30 members, before it steps down in November.