The article focuses on the analysis of the achievements and failures of the Belgian presidency, particularly from the perspective of practical verification of the regulations of the Lisbon Treaty of 13th December 2007. The author presents the limitations of EU presidency that follow from the regulations of the Lisbon Treaty and discusses the major functions of the presidency: mediation, coordination, planning, administration and representation. The priorities and limitations of the Belgian presidency held from 1st July to 31st December 2010 are highlighted and their balance is drawn up. Its major achievements include: compromise concerning the EU budget for 2011, measures aimed at increasing financial stability, improvement of public finances and coordination of the economic policies of member states; integrated directives for job and economic policies of member states; resumption of discussion on deepening of the internal market; further progress in implementation of the enlargement strategy; continuation of work on the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty; activity in external spheres and new initiatives in the sphere of freedom, security and justice. The major failures of the Belgian presidency consist in its inability to realize the following tasks: improved coordination of cooperation in fighting illegal immigration and organized crime or terrorist threats, enhancement of social security of EU citizens and raising the standards of health care, completion of accession negotiations with Croatia and strengthening cooperation between the EU and the countries of Africa and Asia.
The article deals with the reform of the European Union system in the Lisbon Treaty of 13 December 2007. Analysis is limited to the so-called horizontal changes, also known as structural changes, i.e. those which are significant for the whole EU. Changes in the institutional system, internal market, space of liberty, security and justice, as well as changes in the common foreign policy and security policy of the EU have been left out of considerations. The author therefore focuses on the following issues: transformation of the European Union into a uniform international organization; expansion of the EU's axiology; establishing of division of competence between the EU and its member states; systematization and simplification of the catalogue of legal acts and legal procedures; modification of the democratic procedures of the EU; strengthening of the position of national parliaments in the legislative process; procedures of revisions of treaties and changes in the functioning of closer cooperation.
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