Estonian Presidency of the Council of EU

In July 2017, Estonia will hold its first Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This means that for a 6-month period, Estonia will be responsible for finding common ground between the interests and positions of all EU member states, trying to strike a balance between different viewpoints and needs. During the Presidency, Estonia will therefore speak on behalf of the EU Council. As the country holding the presidency, Estonia wants to draw attention to the ways digital solutions can simplify everyday life and make administrative matters quicker in every aspect. Estonia plans to focus on maintaining a clean environment, on the security of Europe, on using innovative technologies for economic development, and on managing changes to the way people live and work, in order to prepare for Europe’s future. The Estonian Presidency of the EU Council runs from 1 July to 31 December 2017.