<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares held a bilateral meeting with his Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, in Brussels this Monday. He discussed, among other matters, the upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU, which the Scandinavian country will hold starting July 1.</strong></h4> "Meeting with my Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen," Albares wrote on social media. "We discussed the European agenda, support for Ukraine, and the serious situation in the Middle East," he continued. "We agreed to work together during the upcoming Danish presidency of the Council of the EU for a united Europe with a strong voice in the world," he added. Denmark will take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from Poland on July 1. This is the eighth time the country has assumed the leadership of the Council. For this reason, the Copenhagen government launched its official Presidency website last Thursday, where it published its program and priorities for this new semester. In an international context marked by growing uncertainty, global geostrategic competition, persistent conflicts, and a transformation of the world order, the Danish Presidency proposes strengthening the Union's capacity for autonomous action, underscoring the importance of greater security, economic resilience, and global leadership. To this end, it has defined two cross-cutting priorities: a secure Europe and a competitive and green Europe. In the words of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, “Europe is at a decisive moment. The wall that secured our freedom and prosperity can no longer be taken for granted. Now more than ever, Europe must step up and stand united. We need to build an even stronger Europe, a more secure Europe where we can protect our democracies. We must rearm Europe and strengthen our support for Ukraine.” <h5><strong>Security</strong></h5> In the area of security, Denmark promises to promote a more determined Union, capable of defending itself by 2030. To achieve this, it will foster closer cooperation with NATO, while developing its own defense capabilities. Denmark is committed to maintaining political, economic, military, and institutional support for Kyiv, as well as promoting its integration into the EU alongside countries such as Moldova and the Western Balkans. Furthermore, it plans to accelerate the development of the European defense industry and address strategic shortcomings in military capabilities. Security, Denmark emphasizes, also involves strengthening democratic resilience. To this end, it will promote initiatives such as the "European Democracy Shield," aimed at combating disinformation, promoting digital literacy, and regulating the role of large technology platforms. Likewise, efforts will be made to ensure effective control of the EU's external borders and to promote durable solutions to irregular migration, an aspect that, according to Frederiksen, "is a major challenge for the social balance of our societies and requires new solutions." This challenge will be addressed through legislative reforms, cooperation with third countries, and new tools that enable effective returns. The protection of critical infrastructure, such as energy and digital infrastructure, and a more robust strategy against hybrid threats and cyberattacks will also be high on this agenda. <h5><strong>Competitiveness</strong></h5> In parallel, the Danish Presidency will seek to strengthen the EU's economic competitiveness by creating more favorable conditions for businesses, reducing bureaucratic burdens, boosting innovation, and attracting investment, especially in key sectors such as digital technologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and space. Frederiksen noted that Europe must be able to compete globally, with "less burdens, strategic investments, and the green transition as a driver of growth and jobs." Regulatory simplification will be one of the pillars of action, along with a review of the multiannual budget to enable a more effective and agile response to Europe's strategic challenges. In the environmental and industrial spheres, Denmark will promote a transformation based on clean and affordable energy, with increased renewable energy production, strengthened infrastructure, and an ambitious climate policy aimed at carbon neutrality by 2050. An agreement on climate targets for 2040 will also be promoted, to provide certainty for businesses and demonstrate international leadership ahead of COP30.
