Abstract

The article presents recent findings on the functioning of the Trio in managing the EU Council presidency with a special focus on Slovenia who chaired the EU Council in the first half of 2008. The analysis centres around three research questions: (i) does the Trio represent a substantial assistance mechanism for the new member states; (ii) does the role of the Trio change at different stages of the Presidency; and (iii) are there any asymmetries among the Trio members, and how can these asymmetries be overcome. The answers to these research questions are provided empirically, by using quantitative data obtained through a survey targeting major presidency actors (407 respondents), complemented by in-depth interviews with some key decision-makers and public officials. Despite being a case study, the article concludes that the Trio was more important during the preparation stages, while less important during the operational stage where the presiding state is “basically left on its own”.