Notre Europe's viewpoint | 20/12/2006 

The German government has repeatedly said that not too much should be expected from its six-month presidency of the Council of the Union. Yet 2007 could be a turning point, if the institutions and member states demonstrated sufficient political good-will. don't get your hopes too high.

Will the solemn Declaration to be adopted in Berlin in March for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome breathe new life into the European project? Will the spring Summit stimulate further cooperation in the energy field? Will the June European Council reach a consensus on the future of the Constitutional Treaty? It is indeed wise not to expect to much from these three key moments in the German presidency.

This indeed leads Ulrike Guérot, author of a study for Notre Europe on the German presidency, to the conclusion that "The German presidency faces some huge challenges. Not only will expectations and capacities diverge; ("¦) the German EU Presidency cannot be expected to provide the breakthrough in the area of institutional reform"�. As for the Portuguese presidency in the 2nd semester, its ambitions are cautiously realistic, because modest.

Yet, the current geopolitical and economic context calls for speedier progress on the European front. Because 2007 could mark a turning point, but also disappoint, Notre Europe intends to further stimulate thinking and debates. Its 2007 programme includes a Pan-European Deliberative Poll (the first of its kind), proposals for own resources for the European budget, for institutional reform, analyses on European's shared identity, and a vision for the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.

In the meantime, Notre Europe's team wishes you a pleasant Christmas break, and a very Happy New Year!