Tony Blair's government will use its presidency of the EU to throw new weight behind reactionary proposals.
One immediate example of this has been Jack Straw declaration of the government's determination to press ahead with the controversial "Bolkestein directive", which would allow open competition and the marketisation of almost all services throughout the EU, including health care and health insurance.
The directive, drawn up by a Dutch neo-liberal Frits Bolkestein, and has been as eagerly supported by big business and free-market fundamentalists as it has been opposed by trade unionists and supporters of public services.
75,000 trade unionists from across the EU marched through Brussels in protest at this legislation in March. The European TUC has warned that it could "speed up deregulation, seriously erode workers' rights and protection, and damage the supply of essential services to European citizens".
Instead we have the grim prospect of Jack Straw went on to promise that the UK presidency will "seek a better balance between public health, environmental protection and competitiveness".
Guess which of these three will be the New Labour priority - and which two will take a back seat.