ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Leadership of the European Union in 2012

In 2012, the European Union was led by Herman Van Rompuy as President of the Council, José Manuel Barroso as Commission President, Martin Schulz as Parliament President, and Catherine Ashton as High Representative. The presidency of the Council rotated between Denmark (January-June) and Cyprus (July-December), with each country taking turns to chair EU meetings.

Events in 2012

Several significant events took place within the European Union in 2012. In January, Denmark began its presidency of the Council, marking the start of a new term for Herman Van Rompuy as President of the Council. This was followed by the signing of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG) in March.

In July, Cyprus took over the presidency from Denmark, becoming the 27th country to hold the position. During this period, the European Commission published the Liikanen report, "Report by the High-Level Group of Experts appointed by the European Commission on the Structural Reform of the Bank," which aimed to address banking sector reforms.

In December, the antitrust regulators of the European Commission imposed fines totaling millions of euros on several major electronics companies for price-fixing in the market for cathode ray tubes. The companies involved included Philips, LG Electronics, Samsung SDI, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Technicolor.

Recognition by the Nobel Committee

The European Union was awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize by the Nobel Committee for its contributions to peace and stability in Europe. This recognition marked a significant milestone in the EU's efforts to promote cooperation and understanding among its member states.

Overall, 2012 was a notable year for the European Union, with several key events taking place under the leadership of Herman Van Rompuy as President of the Council.