Today the Danish Presidency gained support from member states for an agreement that will strengthen the regulation of credit rating agencies.
The Danish Presidency is working to promote the transition to a green economy with a greater focus on sustainability. One of the most important initiatives taken at EU level is the EU's Energy Efficiency Directive, which was proposed by the Commission in June 2011. The EU Member States have agreed that the negotiations of the Directive should be completed by the end of June 2012 and currently the Danish Presidency is negotiating an agreement with the European Parliament on behalf of the Council.
On Monday 21 May 2012, The Danish Ministry of the Environment, the city of Aalborg and the European Commission host the 20-year anniversary of one of Europe’s key pieces of nature legislation, the Habitats Directive, and of LIFE, the EU funding instrument for the Environment in the raised bog habitat of Lille Vildmose.
At today's ECOFIN EU’s finance and economy ministers reached agreement on the Danish Presidency's compromise proposal on new EU rules on capital requirements for banks. Now the Council can begin negotiations with the European Parliament for a final agreement. The ministers also adopted Council conclusions about the economic challenges of an ageing population ("2012 Ageing Report"). Additionally, the ministers had their annual dialogue with EU accession and candidate countries.
Today EU Economic and Finance Ministers agreed to strengthen regulation of the financial sector with a new Capital Requirements Directive. Thereby the EU is taking the lead ahead of other large global economies in complying with the G20 objectives on the implementation of the Basel standards for capital and liquidity.
Greening is one of the main new elements in the Commission’s reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. It is, however, a proposal that is difficult to adapt to the differing conditions to be found in the Member States.
In celebration of the 20th Festival of Europe, the European institutions opened their doors to the public on Open Day 12 May. Among the debates, dancing, music and street art, the Danish EU Presidency’s information stand focused on the environment and offered pedal-powered smoothies – even the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, got on the bike and kept the pedals going.
Today the EU Fisheries Ministers moved closer to agreements on sustainable fisheries.
Tomorrow 15 May 2012, EU’s finance and economy ministers will discuss capital requirements for banks in the EU striving to reach an agreement on the Presidency’s compromise proposal reached on at the extraordinary ECOFIN 2 May 2012. The ministers are also expected to adopt council conclusions regarding the EU report on the economic challenges related to the ageing populations (“Ageing Report 2012”). The ministers will also hold the annual dialogue with the EU acceding and candidate countries and discuss their economic challenges.
How can EU fisheries obtain maximum sustainable yield and how can agriculture be more environmentally friendly? These are the main questions to be discussed at the EU Agricultural and Fisheries Council 14 – 15 May.
Denmark is hosting the presidency of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly 23-30 May in Horsens. The meeting will be the biggest event on Danish soil during the EU Presidency, counting more than 400 participants, including up to 150 parliamentarians from the EU, Africa, Caribbean and Pacific.
The European Ministers for Education, led by the Danish EU Presidency, arrived on Friday 11 May 2012 at their first agreement on the contents of EU’s new education and youth programme, established to improve the educational opportunities in Europe.
In a nation, where 95 pct. of the population own a bike it is only natural, that a two-wheel ride is offered to EU delegates as well.
The EU Ministers responsible for Culture, Audiovisual and Sport are to meet in Brussels on Thursday, 10 May 2012 to discuss inter alia two new programmes in this field. The following day on 11 May EU’s new education and youth programme, Erasmus for All, is on the agenda and will be discussed by the EU Ministers for Education and Youth.
Denmark boosts bicycling in the capitals of Europe, when Europe Day on 9 May is celebrated with green events throughout the EU.
The Danish Minister for the Environment, Ida Auken, is satisfied with a new international agreement that sets stricter requirements to air pollution across the borders of Europe. The agreement reaches until 2020.
On 7-8 May 2012, high-level representatives and experts from EU Member States, international institutions, businesses, civil society and academia have been invited by the Danish EU Presidency to discuss how the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights adopted by the UN last year can be put into practice. The Danish Government will be represented by the Minister for Business and Growth, Mr Ole Sohn, the Minister for Trade and Investments, Ms Pia Olsen Dyhr and Minister for Development Cooperation, Mr Christian Friis Bach.