Every six months, the Presidency of the European Union passes from one member state to another. The country holding the Presidency chairs the meetings of the Council of the European Union in Brussels and Luxembourg and organises formal and informal Council meetings within the member state itself. The head of government of that country chairs the meetings of the European Council. The Presidency of the Council plays an essential role in the legislative and political decision-making process. It also chairs the official working groups that prepare the ministerial meetings of the Council.

The Presidency represents the Council in its dealings with the other institutions of the EU, such as the European Parliament and the European Commission. The member state holding the Presidency also represents the EU internationally, in close cooperation with the EU’s High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, and the European Commission.
 
Finally, the Presidency acts on behalf of the EU in international organisations, conferences and fora.

Since 1958, the Netherlands has held the Presidency ten times: in the second half of 1960, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1976, in the first half of 1981 and 1986, the second half of 1991 and the first half of 1997. The last two Dutch presidencies resulted in:
- the Treaty of Maastricht (1992)
- the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997).

Past and future EU presidencies:

2000 Portugal and France 
2001 Sweden and Belgium  
2002 Spain and Denmark   
2003 Greece and Italy   
2004 Ireland and The Netherlands
2005 Luxembourg and United Kingdom
2006 Austria and Finland