Page 18 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2016 publication

18 Summer 2016 European Energy Innovation

NETHERLANDS PRESIDENCY

Rotating EU Presidency: The
Netherlands’ turn at the wheel

Wie op twee hazen te gelijk jaagt, vangt geen van beide
–Dutch Proverb

By Michael Edmund, Editor

The Netherlands took over echoes in Brussels; the humanitarian economic catastrophe still looms over
the rotating EU Presidency catastrophe that continues to wash up many European economies.
on the first of January, just upon the shores of Greece and Italy has
as the elation surrounding provoked the ghastly sight of barbed Each new revelation, while clamouring
the COP21 ‘landmark agreement’ wire rolling across European fields once for space on European front pages has
began to be succeeded by analysis again; and claim has met counter claim demanded some form of response and
and inquest. These things being over the potential role of Turkey and threatened perhaps to derail the Dutch
as they are, the Dutch were never its European aspirations. Disturbing agenda. While adding to any list of
going to have to attempt the role of tales from many European countries priorities risks diverting attention and
consolidating any advances made in of the unacceptable behaviour of effort away from the existing ones, the
Paris: their priorities had already long individual migrants have reinforced question of which European priorities
been set. Nevertheless, Dutch Minister a collective sense of unease about should have priority over all the other
for Sharon Dijksma (Infrastructure and migration in general. Political upheaval priorities seems a great deal less
the Environment) has met her French in Germany, mirrored in Austria and incongruous when assessed against
counterpart Ségolène Royal (Ecology, elsewhere, is not the only manifestation such a bleak geopolitical backdrop. A
Sustainable Development and Energy) of this unease, which has also found quick glance at the official programme
with the specific aim of maintaining a democratic expression in the Brexit of the Dutch presidency indicates how
momentum after Paris, while the referendum whose outcome is being its four key priorities have reflected the
Commission has also undertaken to followed with interest in many member immense challenges we face:
examine carbon pricing further. states made restless by Europe’s
plight. The continuing weaponisation • a comprehensive approach to
Perhaps somewhat inevitably, a litany of gas and the collapse in oil prices migration and international security
of events, at once fascinating and have been complicated by the
appalling, has unfolded over the last six international rehabilitation of Iran and • Europe as an innovator and job
months. Atrocities committed upon the the emergence of Azerbaijan. And all creator
streets of Paris have have found terrible the while, the Damoclesian threat of
• sound, future-proof European
finances and a robust eurozone

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