Cyprus shares EU presidency in 2011

CYPRUS will hold the EU presidency together with Poland and Denmark for the 18-month period starting in July 2011 and ending in December 2012.

The decision on which countries will be grouped together along with the periods they will hold the presidency was taken by the permanent representatives this week, according to sources. It has yet to be formally approved by a Council.

The new running order for the presidencies begins in January 2007, based on the assumption that Romania and Bulgaria will be joining then and the EU constitution stipulating for the change in the rotating presidency is approved.

In grouping, several factors – such as geographical position, economies and “old” and “new” states balance – were taken into consideration. How each group divides the leadership work depends on the countries involved, one source said.

It could either be by giving the lead to each of the three states for six months or by delegating work according to their interests, capabilities, expertise etc.

The change in the six-month rotating presidency now used was considered necessary after the EU enlarged from 15 to 25 states. Most governments argued it would be a very long time until each state took over and six months was not sufficient time to implement change.

The grouping of the presidencies, along with an increase in the period, is foreseen in the EU constitution that has to be ratified by each member state: a task considered as quite difficult. The Constitution also gives the European Council a permanent president for 30 months.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.