Van Rompuy takes EU presidency

European Union leaders awarded two of its top jobs to politicians relatively unknown on the international stage on the 19 November 2009 marking the culmination of a decade-long modernisation effort intended to project Europe's global power more effectively.

At a summit dinner in Brussels, the EU named Herman Van Rompuy, Belgium's centre-right prime minister, as the EU's first full-time president and picked Britain's Baroness Ashton, the centre-left European trade commissioner, as the new foreign policy supremo.

Spiegel Online International, 20.11.09: Europe Chooses Nobodies http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,662357,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 20.11.09: The world sizes up the EU's new leaders http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4913142,00.html

PressEurop, 20.11.09: Herman who? Catherine what? http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/142041-herman-who-catherine-what

Russia: President of Russia: Dmitry Medvedev congratulated President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on their elections http://eng.kremlin.ru/text/news/2009/11/222926.shtml

US: Department of State: Press Release, 19.11.09: Naming of New President of the European Council and EU High Representative http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/11/132180.htm

BBC News, 19.11.09: Belgian PM named as EU president http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8367589.stm

Deutche Welle, 19.11.09: EU poised to overcome split on leadership posts http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4910280,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 20.11.09: European Union leaders choose president and foreign affairs chief http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1893854,00.html

France24, 20.11.09: Van Rompuy brings quiet diplomacy to the EU's top post http://www.france24.com/en/20091120-eu-first-president-van-rompuy-quiet-diplomacy-post-ashton?autoplay=

BBC News, 19.11.09: A profile of EU Trade Commissioner Cathy Ashton http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8369392.stm

Council of the European Union: Press Release: Informal Meeting of EU Heads of State or Government, Brussels, 19 November 2009 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/111343.pdf

Council of the European Union: Fact Sheet, 2009: The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / The European External Action Service http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/111301.pdf

Council of the European: Background: President of the European Council, November 2009 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/111298.pdf

Sweden: EU Presidency: Press Release, 19.11.09: Top posts filled http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/11/19/top_posts_filled.html

EurActiv, 20.11.09: EU elects discrete, consensual leaders http://www.euractiv.com/future-eu/eu-elects-discrete-consensual-le-news-222939

European Commission: SPEECH/09/548: José Manuel Durão Barroso President of the European Commission Statement of President Barroso at the press conference following the European Council extraordinary Summit European Council extraordinary Summit Brussels, 19 November 2009 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/548&format=DOC&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Council of Europe: Press Release, 19.11.09: Secretary General welcomes appointment of new EU president and foreign representative https://wcd.coe.int//ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=PR864(2009)&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE

UK: FCO: Global issues: International institutions: Britain in the European Union: What is the Lisbon Treaty?: Lisbon Treaty - the new jobs http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080905233558/fco.gov.uk/en/fco-in-action/institutions/britain-in-the-european-union/

Council of the European Union: Draft European Council Decision on the exercise of the Presidency of the Council (POLGEN 192), November 2009 http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st16/st16088.en09.pdf

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