The Netherlands has taken over the EU presidency from Ireland with a relatively clean slate on which to inscribe their priorities and agenda for the next six months. Ireland's success in overseeing agreement on the constitutional treaty puts the focus on communicating its contents and ratifying it, while the new Commission to be assembled under Mr José Manuel Darão Barroso will take office during their term.
As the International Report on the Dutch EU presidency published today makes clear, overseeing the initial negotiations on the EU's next budget and preparing a decision on whether talks should open with Turkey on joining will be the most important tasks to be faced by the Dutch, aside from the unexpected issues which usually arise.
The Dutch will also concentrate on reforming social security, labour markets and pensions. They will continue the work on counter-terrorism and security begun by Ireland and take initiatives on immigration and asylum.
It is a relatively quiet and realistic agenda compared to the more hectic one completed by Ireland. This is in keeping with the Dutch style - and with recent shifts in public opinion towards the EU there. Attitudes are distinctly cooler than before.
There is a belief that more should be done at national level - a theme of several recent ministerial speeches - and a widespread feeling that a period of consolidation is needed in the EU after the series of treaties completed in recent years, two of them under previous Dutch presidencies.
The Netherlands now pays, per capita, the most money towards the EU budget, which makes for a vigorous national debate on whether it is getting sufficient in return. There is no longer automatic support for closer European integration amongst its political class. Dutch Atlanticism has been reinforced during the Iraq crisis, differentiating the country more from its traditional allies in France, Germany and the Benelux.
While such an approach was to be expected from the centre-right government led by Mr Jan Peter Balkenende, they reflect a wider consensus across the parties and among the Dutch population at large. These attitudes will be echoed in the consultative referendum campaign on the constitutional treaty, which will guide the parliamentary vote towards the end of the year. Thus the Dutch will be the first to decide on it.
This gives the EU presidency a special role in communicating with its own population and stimulating other governments to do likewise.