The EU Presidency: ‘Honest broker’ or driving seat? An Anglo-German comparison in the environmental policy field

The office of the EU Presidency attracts great media and academic interest in the member state holding the Presidency. However, it has remained an under-researched area because most assessments focus on a single Presidency and on 'high politics' issues, which are usually dealt with by the European Council. This new report focuses on four Presidencies: the United Kingdom's (UK) 1992 and 1998 as well as the German 1994 and 1999 Presidencies. It analyses the main roles and functions of the EU Presidency and compares four Presidencies over time while trying to explain the differences and similarities by making reference to domestic politics demands and Presidency norms.

The Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society was established in 1973 by an agreement between the British and German governments, on the initiative of the late President Gustav Heinemann.