Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, January to June 2018

Summary:

Bulgaria held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union between January and June 2018. The priorities were driven by the motto 'United we stand strong', which is also the motto of the coat of arms of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Further information:

This was the first time the country held the rotating presidency of the Council. During the mandate, the presidency aimed to focus on four key areas:

• Future of Europe and young people;
• Western Balkans;
• Security and stability;
• Digital economy.

The Council of the European Union is one of the main institutions of the Community. Together with the European Parliament, it discusses and adopts laws based on proposals from the European Commission. The presidency of the Council of the European Union works on a rotation basis. Each member state holds the presidency for a period of six months.

To ensure continuity in the work of the Council, the presidency is held by a group of three member-states, known as a trio, for a period of 18 months. The trio prepares and implements a common agenda.

• Primary Source

Commentary and Analysis

Blog: Bulgarian Presidency http://bulgarianpresidency.eu/

ECFR: Commentary, 09.01.18: Bulgaria: The unforeseen effects of the Presidency http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_bulgaria_the_unforeseen_effects_of_the_presidency

ECFR: Commentary, 09.01.18: Bulgaria: The unforeseen effects of the Presidency http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_bulgaria_the_unforeseen_effects_of_the_presidency

Politico, 07.01.18: Who’s who in the Bulgarian EU presidency https://www.politico.eu/article/bulgarians-you-need-to-know-eu-presidency/

B92, 02.01.18: Where does Serbia stand on road to EU in 2018 https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2018&mm=01&dd=02&nav_id=103174

Politico, 01.01.18: A Eurocrat’s survival guide to Sofia https://www.politico.eu/article/a-eurocrats-survival-guide-to-sofia/

The Sofia Globe, 01.01.18: What Bulgaria’s EU Presidency guests will not see http://sofiaglobe.com/2018/01/01/what-bulgarias-eu-presidency-guests-will-not-see/

The Sofia Globe, 28.12.17: Bulgaria’s EU Presidency: High road and low road https://sofiaglobe.com/2017/12/28/bulgarias-eu-presidency-high-road-and-low-road/

Euro|topics: What can Sofia's EU Council presidency achieve? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/191877/

Euro|topics, December 2017: Bulgaria in the run-up to its EU presidency https://www.eurotopics.net/en/191610/

Euro|topics, December 2017: Bulgaria in the run-up to its EU presidency https://www.socialeurope.eu/bulgarias-eu-presidency-normalizing-nationalism

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News

EurActiv: Topic: Bulgarian Presidency http://www.euractiv.com/topics/bulgarian-presidency/

IBNA, 02.01.18: Serbia has high expectations from the Bulgarian EU presidency http://www.balkaneu.com/serbia-has-high-expectations-from-the-bulgarian-eu-presidency/

Deutsche Welle, 01.01.18: Bulgaria takes over EU presidency in turbulent times http://p.dw.com/p/2q4eW

Euronews, 31.12.17: Bulgaria takes up EU presidency http://www.euronews.com/2017/12/31/bulgaria-takes-up-eu-presidency

The Guardian, 28.12.17: Cloud of corruption hangs over Bulgaria as it takes up EU presidency https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/28/bulgaria-corruption-eu-presidency-far-right-minority-parties-concerns

ERR News, 31.12.17: Estonia hands EU presidency off to Bulgaria https://news.err.ee/651389/estonia-hands-eu-presidency-off-to-bulgaria

EUObserver, 08.11.17: Bulgaria calls for West Balkan EU integration after Brexit https://euobserver.com/enlargement/139808

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Official

European Parliament: Press Release, 03.07.18: MEPs assess the results of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180628IPR06810/

European Commission: Speech by President Juncker at the Plenary session of the European Parliament on the presentation of the programme of activities of the Bulgarian Presidency http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-18-303_en.htm

European Council: Speech by President Donald Tusk at the opening ceremony of the Bulgarian presidency http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/01/11/speech-by-president-donald-tusk-at-the-opening-ceremony-of-the-bulgarian-presidency/

European Parliament: Press Release, 17.01.18: The priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council debated in plenary http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180112IPR91631/

European Commission: Speech by President Jean-Claude Juncker at the ceremony marking the beginning of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-18-161_en.htm

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