Strategic Panorama 2009 - 2010 - IEEE

The Treaty of Lisbon and the common security and defence policy
security is promoted and strengthened within the Union. Furthermore, the
European Council shall regularly assess the threats the Union faces.
It should be pointed out that although the Solidarity Clause provides for
the use of military means and refers to the assistance of the PSC and the
support of the structures created in the context of the Common Security
and Defence Policy, it is not part of the CSDP and is separate from the
section of the Treaty dealing with it.
Nevertheless, the explicit use of military means and the mechanisms
of the CSDP and the obligation of the European Council to assess terrorist-related
threats link this Solidarity Clause to the areas of security and
defence, which could lead to the establishment of coordination mechanisms
or other types of political and technical routes yet to be explored.
THE SPANISH PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL
On 1 January 2010 Spain took over the six-month Presidency of the
Council of the European Union for the fourth time. On this occasion the
Spanish Presidency needs to give impetus to the EU’s transition process
designed by the Treaty of Lisbon. This requires the Spanish Presidency to
be one of transition to the new model.
The Presidency trio. Spain, Belgium and Hungary
When the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on 1 December 2009,
the first Presidency trio formed by Spain, Belgium and Hungary presented
the common programme for the 18-month period in which the three
nations are to hold this responsibility, lasting from 1 January 2010 to 30
June 2011.
The Treaty of Lisbon requires that the three Presidencies coordinate
between themselves and with the new President of the European Council,
Herman Van Rompuy, and the High Representative, Catherine Ashton,
who will chair the Foreign Affairs Council. In addition, the directives of
the new Commission should be taken into account, based on the political
guidelines established by the President of the Commission in September
2009. All this will be in coordination with the European Parliament whose
role has been reinforced.
The programme of the Presidency trio states that enhancing security
levels in the European Union will continue to be a main priority. In this
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