EU’s economy and finance ministers will meet for the last time with Margrethe Vestager as chair of the ECOFIN Council on 22 June 2012. By 1 July Cyprus takes over the EU presidency. The ministers will adopt opinions and country-specific recommendations for all 27 EU member states regarding sound economic policy and economic reforms that will help bring Europe out of the crisis and boosting growth and job creation. The ministers will also discuss possible ways forward with respect to a tax on financial transactions. The ministers are also expected to abrogate the recommendations for Bulgaria and Germany who have brought their government deficit below 3 per cent of GDP and to lift the suspension of Cohesion Fund commitments for Hungary.
Denmark launches a new journalistic shortcut to Denmark: Denmark Stay Tuned.
Joint press statement by the Danish Presidency and the European Commission.
150 km of cords and cables are to be rolled up and packed away. Flowers and plants are placed carefully in boxes. They are not to be thrown out, but in line with the sustainability profile of the Presidency they are planted in Aarhus, where they will take root. The sponsored furniture is wrapped in bubble wrap and sent back to Fritz Hansen Furniture with a 'thank you’ note attached.
The Danish Presidency has just reached an agreement in the EU ensuring seafarers improved training.
Today, one of the goals high on the energy agenda of the Danish Presidency has been reached. The Danish Presidency has finalized an agreement with the European Parliament, which will put Member States in a stronger position when entering into oil and gas agreements with countries outside of the EU.
The Danish Presidency of the Council has been certified as sustainable under the new international ISO20121 standard for sustainable events. The standard is developed for large events such as the Olympic Games in London and the Danish Presidency is one of the first major international events to be organized and implemented in a certifiable sustainable manner.
The EU agriculture Ministers have today decided to work for better animal welfare in the future and have endorsed both a proposal for combating antimicrobial resistance and a progress report on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
At the Council meeting 18 June Mette Gjerskov will present a progress report on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. At the meeting the EU agricultural Ministers will also discuss animal welfare, rural development policy and organic production.
Today, at the last Energy Council meeting during the Danish EU presidency Member States endorsed the compromise on the Energy Efficiency Directive reached with the European Parliament in negotiations Wednesday and confirmed by Coreper Thursday.
Today, Christian Friis Bach was one of the main forces when 105 rich and poor countries signed a major alliance ahead of next week's Rio+20 summit.
Save the Children and the Ministry of Justice are hosting a joint conference on unaccompanied minors arriving in Europe. This conference will focus on the exchange of experiences on unaccompanied minors and participants will discuss future challenges and practical tools. The conference will take place on the 18th and 19th of June 2012.