European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (left) and Prime Minister Alexander de Croo attend the inauguration ceremony of the Belgian President of the Council of the European Union as part of the Belgian presidential inauguration celebrations at Egmont Palace in Brussels. Attended the plenary session. January 5, 2024. [Photo/Agencies]
Ambitious goals set amidst upcoming elections and regulatory overload
Belgium, which now holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, faces the difficult task of clearing more than 150 legislative files, as well as holding European and Belgian national elections in early June.
The six-month rotating presidency, which began on January 1, requires most legislative work to be completed by late April, when the European Parliament convenes for its final plenary session before European elections in June. Therefore, it is actually shorter.
Any legislation that cannot be passed by then will need to be dealt with by the next European Parliament and the new European Commission, which will be established in the autumn.
The Belgian Presidency has identified six priorities. Defending the rule of law, democracy and unity. Strengthening competitiveness. Pursue a green and just transition. Strengthen the social and health agenda. Protect people and borders. and the promotion of a global Europe.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said his first priority was to protect its people and ensure the EU was well placed for the future.
“We have a responsibility to respond to the concerns of all EU citizens,” he said.
The Eurobarometer survey for the final quarter of 2023 showed that 73% of respondents believe their standard of living will decline over the next 12 months. About 37 percent of Europeans experienced difficulty paying their bills some or most of the time. Still, 72% said their country benefited from EU membership.
Difficult legislative issues include amendments to the EU budget for the coming years, including financial support for Ukraine, the European Migration and Refugee Agreement, and Green Deal legislation such as carbon emissions from trucks and buses.
The European Environment Agency, a network of around 180 environmental civil society organizations from more than 40 countries, said it was essential that Belgium showed leadership and made progress on all remaining Green Deal files by the March deadline. .
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, standing next to De Croo, spoke with Parliament about the proposed net-zero industry law at a joint press conference in Brussels on January 5. He said he looks forward to the board’s agreement.
This is legislation the commission proposed in March to strengthen manufacturing capacity and overcome barriers to net-zero technology.
The committee on Monday approved two state aid packages: $990 million from Germany to Swedish battery maker Northvolt and $3.2 billion from France for manufacturing batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. , reflecting the basis of this law.
As Belgium will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the EU’s eastern expansion in the first half of this year, the Belgian president’s position will likely be in the spotlight on EU expansion issues as well.
“Given the Belgian president’s ambitious plans, it is very likely that Ukraine and Moldova will start EU accession negotiations in the first half of this year,” said Ye Bin, a researcher at the European Institute of China Academy. Doctorate in Social Sciences.
Decroo was optimistic about the president’s agenda, saying it was his country’s 13th time in office.
He said that because Belgium has multiple cultures and languages, it is good at listening to different opinions and making decisions.
growing concern
The results of the European elections have led to a sharp rise in the number of seats held by far-right parties in the European Parliament, raising concerns that future legislation will become more complex.
A coalition of the far-right Identity and Democracy group and the eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists would lead to an alliance between the centre-right European Conservatives and Reformists, the largest party group in parliament, according to a European Voters poll. It could garner enough support to challenge the People’s Party.
Ye said that despite the fact that the European Parliament has become increasingly right-leaning and populist, the Belgian presidency has the advantage of being the capital of the EU and boasting a positive public sentiment towards the EU. .
He is concerned about whether the current Belgian government, a seven-party coalition, will be able to survive Belgium’s upcoming local and national elections.