Snelle regeringsformatie België kan EU-voorzittschap schaden (en)
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Belgian policymakers have indicated that the speedy formation of a new Belgian government may not be in the interests of the country's EU i presidency.
The sources said that the current caretaker administration has worked out a detailed agenda for the coming six months which could be put in jeopardy by the advent of a new government.
"The current government still has full powers," a senior Belgian official told press in an off-the-record briefing on Sunday (27 June). "Everything we have decided on for the EU presidency has been agreed by all parties from both French and Flemish-speaking communities."
The current set of ministers has built up detailed knowledge of the issues set to dominate the presidency's to-do list as well as constructive personal relationships with their EU counterparts, another contact said.
"The danger is that the new government forms just at the moment of another crisis in the EU," the second Belgian official explained, citing a potential member state application to the eurozone's recently-agreed emergency funding mechanism as an example.
The comments - which could be seen by cynics as designed to help the existing cabinet stay in power for longer - come after Belgian snap elections on 13 June.
The election saw the New-Flemish Alliance party of Bart De Wever, who advocates splitting Belgium in two, win the most seats, with coalition-forming talks threatening to drag out for months.
Concern has been raised in EU circles over the transitionary government's ability to effectively chair the 27-member union. Earlier delays in producing the agenda for next month's meeting of EU finance ministers have already been cited as one example.
Reaching agreement between the European Parliament i and member states i on the EU's financial supervisory package, tackling ballooning budget deficits and boosting the bloc's anemic growth prospects are among the daunting challenges faced by the small state's civil servants, who are already working overtime.
While federal ministers are set to chair the majority of meetings over the six-month period, Belgian regional ministers will co-ordinate a number of council formats, including the fisheries, environment, and research portfolios.
As a result, prominent environment ministers from across the union could sit down to discuss the day's pertinent issues with Flanders' centre-right minister for environment, Joke Schauvliege. Meanwhile, climate discussions will be chaired by centre-left federal politician Paul Magnette.
The Belgian sources added that former Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy i's new role as EU Council president will help Belgium sell the idea of a low-key presidency to ordinary Belgians.
National politicians traditionally use their tenure at the EU helm to try to shine on the world stage. But Belgium has indicated it will take a back seat following the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty last year, which thrust the EU Council head and the new EU foreign relations chief, Catherine Ashton i, into the foreground instead.
"It's like a perfect Belgian strategy," a senior Belgian policymaker joked, on Mr Van Rompuy's Belgian roots. "They would have thought we were sissies otherwise."
The handover from the current Spanish presidency will take place this Thursday (1 July), but the Belgians are planning a ceremonial bash for Saturday, during which the somewhat drab European quarter in Brussels will be animated by fireworks, music and dancing.