2013 in the European Union

• European Year of Citizens

  Incumbents

• President of the European Council – Herman Van Rompuy
• Commission President – José Manuel Barroso
• Council Presidency – Ireland, Lithuania
• Parliament President – Martin Schulz
• High Representative – Catherine Ashton

  Events

January

• 1 January
• * Ireland takes over the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Cyprus. The Presidency's three main priorities are stability, jobs and growth.

  July

• 1 July
• * Croatia joins the European Union, following ratification of the 2011 Accession Treaty by all other EU countries. This seventh enlargement of the EU, brings the total number of member countries to 28, and official languages to 24.
• * Lithuania takes over the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Ireland.

  European Capital of Culture

• Marseille, France
• Košice, Slovakia