Joint press statement by the Danish Presidency and the European Commission.
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.
The Danish Presidency today received the EU Member States' endorsement of the compromise on the Energy Efficiency Directive, which was reached with the European Parliament in the negotiations last night. Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Buildings, Martin Lidegaard, will present the final compromise text to his ministerial colleagues at the Energy Council meeting on 15 June.
The European patent prize has today been awarded to inven-tors from Danish Widex at the European Inventor Award 2012 in the Danish Playhouse in Copenhagen. The prize is awarded for Widex' revolutionary computer technology to design hearing aids. The prestigious prize emphasizes Danish companies’ innovation capacity, says Danish Minister for Business and Growth, Ole Sohn.
EU energy ministers meet on Friday 15 June in Luxembourg for the last time under the Danish Presidency. Energy efficiency, long term energy policy and renewable energy will be the main themes of a long agenda that reflects substantive Danish efforts for European energy policy and a green Europe.
As part of the Danish EU Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the Ministry of Culture are hosting a ‘Meeting of Cultural Directors’ from 13-15 June. The meeting involves senior officials from member and candidate countries' ministries of culture and ministries of foreign affairs responsible for cultural affairs and public diplomacy. The meeting will contribute to the formulation of a comprehensive European strategy for culture and has a special focus on the relationship between the EU and China.