Spain has participated in the presidency of the Council of Europe’s rotating cycle since 1986, taking the helm in four distinct terms: 1989, 1995, 2002, and 2010. The current plan envisions a second term beginning in 2023. This overview highlights the crucial role Spain played in shaping European institutions during its presidencies and how those efforts influenced the union’s trajectory.
1989: a milestone for monetary integration
During his first term as prime minister, Socialist Felipe González guided Spain through its inaugural presidency of what would later become the European Union. The year marked a decisive push toward economic and monetary union. The summit in Madrid in June 1989 set the stage for a common currency, laying groundwork for a single European monetary system that would culminate in the euro years later. While European citizens would not directly adopt the euro until 2002, the Madrid summit signaled a shared commitment to deeper integration. International observers credited Spanish diplomacy with moving skeptical partners toward consensus, including influential discussions led by Spain’s foreign ministers and their Brussels counterparts, who steered a coalition toward unity amid regional tensions and Middle East diplomacy. [Citation: European Union historical records]
1995: the euro is defined
Felipe González continued to lead during the second Spanish presidency, underscoring the milestone of naming the common currency the euro at the December 1995 European summit in Madrid. The euro would enter world financial markets as a unit of account and later replace the old European currency. The Maastricht Treaty, signed earlier, laid the legal framework for all member states, with the euro becoming the primary account currency from 1999. Spain’s presidency also advanced broader regional initiatives, including a Global Euromediterranean Declaration that expanded cooperation with Mediterranean and southern partners, emphasizing stable, multipolar partnerships as Europe navigated post-Cold War realities. [Citation: EU treaty and euro history]
Another notable focus of that term involved ongoing stabilization efforts in the Western Balkans as conflicts subsided, underscoring Europe’s commitment to peace and reconstruction across the region. The presidency reinforced the EU’s role as a global actor in security and economic development, reinforcing ties with partner countries through shared standards and commitments. [Citation: EU foreign policy archives]
2002: the euro reaches households
In the third Spanish presidency, popular José María Aznar led the executive, again placing Spain at the forefront of European milestones. The euro’s entry into everyday life came into sharp relief as steps were taken to ensure smooth coexistence with the existing national currencies until a full transition. During this period two major summits, one in Barcelona and another in Seville, helped consolidate economic governance and deepen European integration. The presidency also stressed enhanced cooperation in counterterrorism research and information sharing, highlighting the EU’s commitment to security and collective defense. [Citation: EU council records]
Notably, this term emphasized coordinated research efforts and international collaboration to counter terrorism. The presidency promoted joint initiatives to strengthen intelligence sharing and cross-border cooperation among EU members, reinforcing the bloc’s capacity to respond to evolving security challenges. [Citation: European security briefings]
2010: a “non-presidential” term amid a new treaty framework
Under the leadership of Socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the 2010 presidency was described as a period of transition rather than a tilt in leadership. The Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force at the end of 2009, restructured how the EU institutions operate, shifting some influence away from the presidency itself toward the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign Policy. The presidency coincided with a severe financial crisis that tested Europe’s resolve. Spain supported measures led by a core group of countries, including Germany, aimed at stabilizing eurozone economies and coordinating responses to the Greek debt crisis and related financial pressures. The term underscored how institutional reform and crisis management can redefine the presidency’s role within the European project. [Citation: Lisbon Treaty analyses]
The period also reflected Europe’s broader push toward deeper integration, with reforms designed to streamline decision-making, enhance democratic legitimacy, and coordinate economic policy across member states. The experience of this term reinforced the notion that a presidency can influence development without being the sole driver of policy, as institutional changes and cross-border coordination shaped outcomes across the Union.