2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU
The Maltese presidency of the EU will see Malta truly come of age. It is a real chance for the country to leave its mark on the rest of Europe at a time of great change in the world. This comes at a very challenging time, when the very existence of the EU is being put to the test.
The first formal meeting of the Presidency Trio consisting of Malta, Slovakia and the Netherlands will take place in Bratislavia at the end of March with the aim of identifying the priorities of the Presidency and to start preparing the programme.
The small island of Malta took over the EU presidency on 1 January, facing the challenges of Brexit and important elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Malta takes over the rotating presidency from Slovakia. For the next six months the island state will play a key role in setting the agenda, finding compromises and addressing a range of challenges such as the migration crisis and the likely start of the UK’s Brexit negotiations
The priorities of this first-ever Maltese presidency will be driven by the objective to restore trust in the EU, need for a dialogue and reflection on the EU’s future as well as the pertinent issues relating to migration, security and economy.
The presidency of the Council rotates among EU member states every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU’s work in the Council
EU2017MT Priorities from EU2017MT on Vimeo.
Source: http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/malta-eu.21dl