UK PM Brown Confirms Belgian Counterpart Van Rompuy Is 1st EU President
Bulgaria in EU | November 19, 2009, Thursday
Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy is the first President of the EU under the Lisbon Treaty, British PM, Gordon Brown confirmed Thursday. Photo by EPA/BGNES
The current Prime Minister of Belgium, Herman Van Rompuy, has been appointed the first EU President, British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, confirmed Thursday evening.
UK’s own Catherine Ashton, currently serving as the European Trade Commissioner, is to become the EU's Foreign Minister, Brown said, cited by CNN.
The leaders of the 27 EU Member States made the decision behind closed doors in Brussels Thursday.
The new posts of the first ever EUfull-time President and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs also known as Foreign Minister were created by the Lisbon Treaty, which will become effective on 1 December.
Earleir Thursday, BBC reported that former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and prime contender for the post has dropped out of the EU presidential race.
The EU president post has been created as a replacement for the rotating six-month presidency of the bloc.
Tags: EU President, Herman van Rompuy, Catherine Ashton, Gordon Brown
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