From 1 July 2011 to 31 December 2011, Poland will host the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Poland is taking over the Presidency from Hungary which has presided over the EU for the past six months.

The Polish Presidency gets under way amid many serious economic and social challenges now facing the European Union. Poland’s program and plan of activity are its response to those challenges. Poland’s objectives already enjoy the support of many European countries and community institutions. Surveys have shown that the Presidency is supported by Polish society, one of the EU’s most euro-enthusiastic.

Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council pointed out that the next six months were likely to be dominated by economic issues such as working on different ideas to reinforce the European growth, preparing the next G-20 summit, and discussing financial regulations. According to him, one of the main tasks for the Polish presidency will be the launch of a debate on the new multi-year EU budget for the 2014-2020 period. The discussions on this issue have already started and the European Parliament agreed that an increase of the multi-year budget is needed.

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk agrees with Mr Van Rompuy and also stated that a compromise over the next year’s EU budget had been reached. He highlighted that the 6-month Polish presidency would be conducted under the banner of good cooperation. Mr Tusk added he had talked with the EU Council President about the situation in Southern Europe and the Eastern Partnership. He underlined that the two issues must be dealt with simultaneously and in a balanced way underlined the prime minister.

The goals to be pursued over the next six months are efforts to deepen the integration of the EU market which should lead to swifter economic growth. Efforts will also be made to further enlarge the EU and strengthen cooperation with neighbours, guaranteeing greater stability in this region of the world, both in the south and the east. According to the Polish programme another goal is also the strengthening of Europe’s energy, food and military security.