The European Union has two new faces in two top new jobs: The Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy is to become the first permanent President of the European Council and Catherine Ashton will in future represent Europe as its first High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy.
Baroness Ashton has been EU Trade Commissioner since summer 2008. Mr Van Rompuy has led his country's government for a year now.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said both politicians were a good choice for Europe. Thanks to the Swedish Presidency's successful preparations, the principle of the unanimous vote had in the end triumphed despite the initially very different opinions of the 27 EU Member States.
"This shows that Europe is a very diverse entity, in which we must show consideration for one another," the Chancellor said. Particularly when it came to the first decision of this type it had been especially important to reach a consensus among all the Member States.
Following various rounds of enlargement, the EU now has 27 Member States. By ratifying the Lisbon Treaty it can now adapt its structures to the new demands. One consequence has been the creation of the new office of a President of the European Council, who will be elected for a two-year term, and that of a High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (HR), who will chair the regular meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers and at the same time hold the office of Vice-President of the European Commission. The Lisbon Treaty comes into force on 1 December this year.
Moving forward in unity
Angela Merkel said she had come to value highly the work of Baroness Ashton in her time as Trade Commissioner, as well as her work in the British Government. The fact that the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament had very quickly ratified the Lisbon Treaty was down to the substantial role she had played. And Herman Van Rompuy was very highly regarded across the whole of the EU, she said. Merkel believes that the outcome of the special Council session just a few days before the Treaty enters into force gives reason to hope that the EU will continue on its successful path: "I believe Europe would be well advised to move into a new era on such a broad-based platform - and that is precisely what the Lisbon Treaty is."
