Herman Van Rompuy was elected permanent President of the European Council at the summit held on 19 November 2009. Less than two weeks later, he took up his post. Here he answers questions on his new role, what he hopes to achieve during his term as President and what issues he will put his energy into.

Negotiations long into the night, a constantly ringing mobile phone and endless versions of every document. But also major successes on the work front and personal satisfaction at contributing to a more climate-smart Europe. This has been the autumn for Anette Persson, Chair of the Council Working Party on Energy.

Minister for Higher Education and Research Tobias Krantz was more or less a complete novice when he was thrown in at the deep end during the Swedish Presidency. He took up the post after his predecessor in mid-June and chaired his first EU meeting only weeks later. Now that the Presidency has been concluded his appetite has been whetted. Here he speaks about his six months at the centre of European research policy.