The Belgian Foreign Minister, Mr Louis Michel, frustrated after his country's six-month stint at the helm of the European Union, was quoted yesterday as calling for an end to the rotating presidency.
In an article in the Dutch-language Het Laatste Nieuws, Mr Michel said representing the 15-country union had been hard work.
"The rotating presidency is more of a burden than a pleasure . . . You have to travel far and wide, you work yourself into the ground to leave things to someone else in the end, so you cannot ensure continuity in your policies," he was quoted as saying.
The EU's leadership changes every six months. Spain takes over from Belgium on January 1st and will represent the EU in the international arena until the end of June, when it will be Denmark's turn.
Mr Michel, whose outspoken views about other politicians, particularly the Italian Prime Minister, Mr Silvio Berlusconi, whom he rated at "zero out of 10", admitted he had a tendency to make enemies.