According to a recent agreement reached by EU nations, the three EU members to chair the bloc successively beginning with 2007, among them Slovenia, are to present a joint 18-month plan by December at the latest to have it finally approved by EU foreign ministers.
The trio - consisting of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia - to chair the Union in this order - will draft their programme in close cooperation with the European Commission.
After being approved by member states represented by their foreign ministers, the EU Council will become the formal "owner" of the programme.
The EU introduced the 18-month programme as part of an expected European constitution, which would abolish independent presiding with 2007 and usher in a joint 18-month three countries chairing of the EU Council.
With the constitution frozen due to rejections by France and Netherlands, the EU has nevertheless decided to uphold a tight cooperation on a trio level, reasoning that such a format is more effective in ensuring a fluent implementation of the EU's common priorities.
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