On 1 July Belgium assumed the presidency of the EU, taking over from Spain. For six months, the main task of the country which holds the presidency is to organise and manage the work of the Council of the European Union where the member states are represented.
The Spanish Presidency coincided with the beginning of a new phase for the EU, with a renewed Parliament and Commission and a new treaty in effect since 1 December. With this outlook, Spain, Belgium and Hungary have drawn up a work programme for the 18-month period (January 2010 to July 2011) during which they will hold the Presidency in succession, according to the new regulations which apply in Europe.
It will be the first ‘trio’ of presidencies to be formalised and perform its functions in accordance with the Treaty of Lisbon. The aim of this new procedure is to provide the work and initiatives of the EU with more continuity.

Membership

The Joint Committee is made up of 22 members drawn from Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann, both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is an ex officio member of the Committee. The Committee is appointed for the life of the Parliament and re-established after each parliamentary election. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected from among the Committee’s members. Irish MEPs (and Northern Ireland MEPs) and members of the Irish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe may attend and participate at meetings of the Committee.

The Committee was established by Dáil Éireann on 23 October 2007 and by Seanad Éirerann on Wednesday 24 October.

The members of the Committee are: