Portugal currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union.

This ensures more consistency in comparison to a usual single six-month presidency and each three includes a new member state.

Finland holds the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union.

It ends the crazy carousel of the six-month rotating presidency.

France has just taken over the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union and faces a difficult agenda.

He himself, both here and in Oxford, has criticised six-month presidencies.

This is all on the basis that in a six-month presidency there are neither resounding successes nor complete failures.

These are six-month presidencies, and as such they are perhaps difficult to judge purely quantitatively.

Moreover, the existing rotating six-month presidency will continue as before, a fact often overlooked or misunderstood.

The French, who currently hold the union's six-month rotating presidency, are sounding cautious about whether the Nice meeting will be a success.