Denmark’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union begins with a focus on security, migration, and green competitiveness

Ane Barcos Denmark begins its term at the head of the Council of the European Union this Tuesday. In a semester marked by geopolitical challenges, Copenhagen is committed to an agenda focused on strengthening security, better managing irregular migration, and bolstering economic competitiveness through the green transition. This will be the eighth time Denmark leads the Council, but it does so now with the war in Ukraine still ongoing, a changing international order, and growing internal tensions within the EU itself. A more secure europe with greater deterrence One of the priorities for the semester will be security. Denmark has made it clear that it wants a Europe better prepared to face external and internal threats, with a clear reinforcement of its own defensive capabilities and deeper cooperation with NATO, with the goal of enabling the bloc to acquire the capacity to act autonomously in defense matters by 2030. Support for Ukraine will remain a priority, both politically and economically and militarily. Denmark also wants to accelerate the accession process for countries such as Moldova and the Western Balkan states, seeing this as a means of stability for the region. In parallel, the development of the European defense industry will be promoted, along with the closing of strategic gaps and greater investment in protection against cyberattacks and hybrid threats. "New and effective" solutions for irregular migration Another area where Denmark aims to make progress is migration policy. "Irregular migration is one of Europe's major social challenges and requires new and effective solutions," warned Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Over the next six months, Denmark will seek to advance legislative reforms to make returns more efficient, strengthen cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and ensure effective control of the Union's external borders. In addition, Copenhagen aims to focus on democratic resilience, through tools such as the European Democracy Shield, which seeks to combat disinformation and better regulate the role of large digital platforms. Competitiveness without bureaucracy, with a green transition In the economic sphere, the Danish presidency aims to ease the burdens faced by European companies. Its proposals include reducing regulatory barriers, improving the business environment, and boosting innovation in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, space, and digitalization. Marie Bjerre, Danish Minister of European Affairs, stated that "Europe's competitiveness cannot depend on past growth, but on how we transform our economies for the future." To this end, Denmark will also promote a review of the multiannual financial framework to enable a more agile response to current strategic challenges. The second key priority is the ecological transition. Copenhagen aims to promote an ambitious climate policy that accelerates clean energy production, strengthens green infrastructure, and lays the foundations for achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The Presidency will seek to advance toward an agreement on 2040 climate targets, ahead of the upcoming COP30 climate summit. The College of Commissioners travels to Denmark As part of the tradition that marks the start of each rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, the College of Commissioners will make an official visit to the host country. On this occasion, the Von der Leyen Commission will travel to Aarhus on Thursday to participate in the opening ceremony of the Danish Presidency. Furthermore, to mark the start of this Presidency, the Danish government will hold an event open to the public on Thursday at Rådhusparken in Aarhus. Under the title "European Street Party," the event will include live music, art, community dinners, and spaces for citizen debate. The event, as explained by the Presidency itself, seeks to convey the European spirit beyond its institutions and connect with citizens at a time when, as Frederiksen herself warned, "Europe cannot take its freedom or prosperity for granted."

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