Polish Council Presidency 2011: Ambitions and Limitations (2011:3op)
The ongoing crisis in the Eurozone has posed particular challenges to the current Polish EU Presidency. Poland, like Sweden, is not a member of the Euro Group and has therefore been excluded from some of the most important decision-making during the second half of 2011.
Moreover, the political influence in the EU rests more with the European Council than with the rotating Council Presidencies. Nevertheless, the Council Presidencies continue to matter.
In this report, the author analyses the Polish Presidency and discusses its strategies and achievements. He paints the picture of a successful presidency albeit with strictly limited political powers, raising the question whether a non-euro country can in fact be part of the EU’s inner circle.
The publication is part of the research project The EU Presidencies.