So Luxembourg is taking up the reins of the EU Council for the next six months. Setting aside for the moment the question of the usefulness of the rotating Presidencies - too short but still very practical for steering the EU's legislative work – the Grand Duchy will once again have to demonstrate its ability to manage a complicated European agenda. Complicated, not to say eroded by long-term crises: the Greek debt crisis, the migration crisis, the creeping institutional crisis.…
Xavier Bettel, prime minister weathering stormLuxembourg's government is weakened by the results of a recent referendum just as it takes up the Council PresidencyInterinstitutional agreement: Complicated negotiationsThe reforms proposed by the Commission do not enjoy unanimous backing. An agreement by year's end seems very ambitiousUK renegotiation takes place behind the scenesEU gives itself six months to find way forward for new relationship with UKEnvironment/climate: COP21 approachingAll eyes are on Paris: landmark event and challenge for the Luxembourg Presidency, which will have to ensure EU unityDigital strategy: Relative optimismThe new Presidency will have to wrap up data protection, roaming and net neutrality and launch the digital strategyCorporate taxation: Pivotal half-yearThe fight against harmful tax competition is a top EU priority. Luxembourg will have to convinceCapital markets union moves onto agendaThe Commission plans to launch its action plan in September. The Luxembourg Presidency wishes to advance on money market fundsCompetitiveness: Greater politicisation of casesThe agenda for the Competitiveness Councils will be more detailed, for faster decision makingEPSCO: Machinery idlingThe Commission will not be publishing draft recommendations on long-term unemployment until later this summerPolitical deal on rail package?Rail is the priority of the transport sector and an aviation strategy will be presented at the end of the yearOrganic reform and GMOs to top agricultural agendaNeither file will be easy to crackEnergy union to move forward with sensitive governance debateThe issue is set to make many member states uneasyFTA talks with Vietnam to conclude in second half of 2015Luxembourg also wants to advance the free trade negotiations with US and Japan