The Gazette 1975

Legal Europe

Developments in the European Communities

Fifth Report-August 1975

Ireland's Presidency of the Council and of Euro-

pean Political Co-operation.

1.23 The Treaties establishing the European Com-

munities provide that the office of President of the

Council of the European Communities is held for a

term of six months by each of the member States in

turn in the following order: Belgium, Denmark, Ger-

many, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Nether-

lands and the UK. The same rotation applies to Euro-

pean political co-operation. In accordance with these

arrangements Ireland occupied the Presidency of the

Council and of European political co-operation in the

period from 1 January 1975 to 30 June 1975. A des-

cription of the role of the Presidency in the frame-

work of European political co-operation and of the

issues which arose during the six months is given in

Part II of this Chapter.

1.24 The major organisational implications of the

Presidency of the Council for Ireland were:

Arranging and chairing meetings of the Council.

Charing committees and working groups coming

within the aegis of the Council

Chairing consultation meetings of the Member

States before and during meetings of Internat-

ional Organisations and conferences.

Chairing regular consultations of Diplomatic Re-

presentatives of the Member States in capitals

of non-member countries and

Preparing the Council's work programme for the

period.

1.25 During the first six months of 1975 Irish Min-

isters chaired twenty-seven meetings of the Council in

its various formations (paragraph 2.21) and Ireland pro-

vided chairmen for some 190 Council committees and

working groups. Irish representatives played an active

part in arranging and chairing consultation meetings

to co-ordinate the positions of the membeT States be-

fore and during meetings of International Organisations

such as the United Nations ( UN ), the Organisation

for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

and the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and

of Conferences such as CSCE and the Law of the

Sea Conference. Irish representatives in non-member

countries also chaired meetings of Diplomatic Represen-

tatives to discuss in particular matters relating to Euro-

pean political co-operation, information questions, and

trade, commercial and economic matters. Ir countries

where Ireland did not have resident diplomatic rep-

resentation Italy as the next member State i

the order

of rotation usually acted for the Presidency.

1.26 In February 1974 the Council had agreed th?t

the country occupying the Presidency should submit

to the Council at the beginning of each six month

period a programme of work together with a timetable

for its implementation. The work programme for the

Irish Presidency of the Council was drawn up towards

the end of 1974 and was discussed by the Minister for

Foreign Affairs with the full Commission in December.

These discussions covered the order of priorities for the

period, the timescale and how best to deal with the

problems which were likely to arise. This was an im-

portant step in the organisation of Ireland's Presidency

and one which indicated the closer relationship between

the Council and the Commission which it wa s Ireland's

intention to encourage.

1.27 One of the principal objectives of the Irish

Presidency was to strengthen he working relationship

between the Council and the European Parliament.

In pursuance of this the Minister for Foreign Affairs

as President of the Council attended all seven part-

sessions of the Parliament held during the six months

to report on the outcome of Ministerial meetings, to

answer questions and to take part in debates. Other

Ministers, as appropriate, also attended part-sessions

of the Parliament. In addressing the Parliament at the

end of the Presidency the Minister for Foreign Affairs

expressed his conviction that further progress towards

European integration could not be made except through

the evolution of Parliament and through a parrallel

development i

the powers of Parliament and in its

method of election (paragraphs 2.2 to 2.12). Other

significant institutional developments during the Irish

Presidency were

The organisation of the first European Council

paragraph 1.2 to 1.6)

The movement towards the greater use of majority

voting in the Council (paragraphs 2.18 to 2.20)

The institution of procedures to enable Parliament

to address questions On political co-operation

to the President-in-Office (paragraph 1.40) and

Thp development of the practice of the Commun-

itiy's speaking with one voice at major inter-

national meetings through a representative of

the Presidency and a representative of the Com-

mission, in particular at the Euro-Arab dialogue

(paragraph 1.44) and the preparatory meeting

for the International Energy Conference (para-

graphs 19.3 and 19.24 to 19.27).

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