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UK to host EU Council Presidency 2nd half 2005

p | 17.12.2003 15:28 | Globalisation

The UK will host the EU Council Presidency in 2005. This is the same year that the G8 comes, rumour has it, to Gleneagles.

It is also the year of rotation for the DSEi arms fair.

The cycle of the EU presidency is as follows:

2003 Greece - Italy
2004 IRELAND - Netherlands
2005 Luxembourg - UK
2006 Austria - Finland

It is unclear what this will mean in terms of the actual format of any summits. The most recent summit was held in Brussels for security reasons. It is likely though that the UK will wish to host the event, given the benefits over influence that this entails.

In 2005, the G8 is coming to the UK. 2005 is also the year of rotation for the DSEi arms fair. It also comes after what will be hoped to be a successful European Social Forum in late 2004, which will likely be held in London. This can be the springboard to these three events, rallying alter-globalisers, pacifists, black bloc'ers, etc.

surely, it would be beneficial for regional, local social forums and spaces to open up and start networking, rallying and organising so that after ESF 2004, we have structures in place to move towards these summits, and that, more importantly, we have something which can remain after these summits, and benefit progressive politics in the UK for the long term future?

p