A primer on the German presidency

On January 1st 2007, Germany takes over the rotating EU presidency. Chancellor Angela Merkel has ambitious goals that include an EU agreement on energy policy and on what to do with the Union's moribund constitutional treaty. Both will be very difficult to achieve. To make the presidency look like a success, Germany may concentrate on endearing the EU to its citizens – by throwing a big anniversary party for the Rome treaty, for example – and to European businesses by cutting back red tape and bureaucracy.