The Presidency of the European Union Council is more than an arbiter; in its capacity of ‘Agenda-setter’, the Presidency can decide in which order legislative proposals put forward by the European Commission should be discussed, and it has some manoeuvring space for setting its own priorities and favouring some policy areas over others. For Member States the Presidency is also an opportunity to put forward policy issues and initiatives that are of particular interest to them.

The Presidency is also an important opportunity for Eurodiaconia members. It is a privileged moment to share key observations and concerns with your government and advocate for prioritising certain (social) issues and a policy response which goes beyond the national level, and which can capitalise on EU governance instruments such as the European Semester.

To know more about the EU Precidency, check our latest publication.