BRUSSELS, January 1. /TASS/. "Protect, Strengthen, Prepare" is the slogan under which Belgium takes over the EU Council presidency from Spain for the next six months. The host country of the EU and NATO institutions will hold the rotating presidency until the end of June, after which Brussels will pass the baton to Budapest.
"As you know, we, Belgians have the European Union in our DNA. The European institutions are based here in our capital. If there is a country that epitomizes the essence of the EU, it is Belgium," said Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
The country's authorities emphasize that Brussels is taking over the presidency at a dramatic moment amid conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as such global challenges as climate change.
"The expectations of more than 440 million [EU citizens] are high. People cherish certainty and perspective. These are legitimate aspirations and the EU has a duty to respond to these challenges. Delivering results is our goal," De Croo added.
Belgium's priorities
The Belgian authorities have identified six priorities for their latest turn at the helm of the EU Council presidency. The first is "Protecting the rule of law, democracy and unity." Belgium intends to work on preparing the EU for enlargement. "The enlargement of our Union should make us all stronger. The Presidency therefore intends to support the candidate countries in their efforts to join our Union. At the same time, it will be crucial to prepare the Union's policies, resources and decision-making structures for future accessions," the Belgian Presidency said.
The second priority is formulated as follows: "In light of changing geopolitical realities and the rapid development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the EU must prioritize its long-term competitiveness and industrial policy." Here, "special attention will be paid to strengthening our economic security, reducing harmful dependencies and promoting our technological leadership in critical sectors."
The third and fourth priorities are ushering in a "green transition to address the triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution" and making efforts toward "the strengthening of the social and health agenda."
The fifth priority - "Protecting people and borders" - is linked to the new European pact on migration and asylum, which was agreed upon by the EU institutions in December. "The [Belgian] Presidency will work to strengthen the external dimension of migration and asylum, working particularly closely with our African partners, as part of our wider efforts to further develop a mutually beneficial partnership between our two continents, in full respect of international law."
Finally, the last priority is "Advancing a Global Europe" against the backdrop of geopolitical confrontation and conflict. "In this more assertive approach, the Presidency will also emphasize that openness, dialogue and cooperation are at the heart of the EU's concept of interests. In order to achieve its foreign policy objectives, the EU must fully mobilize its economic, security and defense, development and humanitarian assistance capacities."
Previous presidencies
Belgium has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union many times. It was the first country to assume the shared office back in 1958, when the European Economic Community (EEC, the EU's predecessor) took shape. Brussels then took over again in 1961, when the Berlin Wall was erected to divide Europe into two parts. Another historic moment under Belgium's leadership occurred in 1968, when the six EEC member states dismantled customs restrictions. And it was Belgium that held the presidency again when the popular Erasmus student exchange program was launched in 1987.
Belgium faced a difficult presidency in 2001, when Brussels had to deal with the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks that shook the US and the world.