Herman Van Rompuy named first president of the European Council

The Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1st December 2009, created both positions. The president of the European Council has a two-and-a-half year mandate renewable once. He is meant to provide sustained leadership for the work of the European Council, the institution which gathers the 27 Heads of States and Governments of the EU.

Mr. Van Rompuy, a Christian-democrat, is the current Prime Minister of Belgium. Although not a well-known figure outside his home country, he is perceived as a good consensus builder.

As the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs Ms. Ashton will also be Vice-President of the European Commission for the next five years. She will head the European Union External Service, a new structure which will be responsible for external relations, security and immigration issues. Development policy will remain under the responsibility of a separate Commissioner.

Ms. Ashton has been the British Commissioner for Trade since 2008, when she replaced Peter Mandelson. A member of the Labour party, she has been involved in inequality in employment and disability issues in the United Kingdom, and she chaired the local Health Authority of Hertfordshire from 1998 to 2001.

Ms. Ashton’s appointment is certainly progress towards a more gender-balanced European Commission. She will have to demonstrate her ability to overcome divergent views between the 27 EU Foreign Affairs ministers.

For further information:
Treaty of Lisbon website on Europa