Organisation and Structure

Chairmanship

Originally, it was Austria as the initiating country who held the chairmanship of the Salzburg Forum. Before the accession of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia to the EU in 2004, the Salzburg Forum Member States agreed on a 6-month chairmanship rotating in alphabetical order.

Trio presidency

The SF Vision 2020 also established a new coordination system – the trio presidency meaning that three successive member states preside over the SF together and define their common goals in an 18-month work programme. The aim of the triple-shared presidency is to achieve consistency and continuity in the work of the Salzburg Forum despite the rotating chairmanship. What is more, the trio presidency also reflects the mode of functioning of the Council of the European Union introduced in 2007. As a result of trio presidencies, it is possible to identify and develop longer-term priorities and strategies.

Ministerial conferences

There are at least two Salzburg Forum Ministerial Conferences per year. Each country chairing the Salzburg Forum holds one Ministerial Conference in its country. In addition to that, a Salzburg Forum Ministerial Summer Conference may be organised by Austria.