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On 1 July 2008, France takes over the EU's six-month rotating presidency from Slovenia with an exceptionally busy agenda.
According to a French diplomat in Brussels, "this presidency is the heaviest one of all the history of the European Union in terms of workload".
Irish referendum on everyone's minds
The outcome of the Irish referendum on 12 June will undoubtedly have a considerable impact on the Presidency's schedule.
Preparing for the EU diplomatic service
And provided all goes well and Ireland ratifies, there will still be a lot to do as the pressure then will fall on preparations for the Treaty's new provisions, which enter into force on 1 January 2009.
According to Kouchner, the French Presidency's work there will centre on designating the future permanent president of the Council and the new foreign policy chief, decisions which are all expected to be taken by EU heads of state at a summit in December.
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