What is Poland’s legacy for Denmark now? And which priorities will it pursue? Surfing the wave of simplification, the new residents are shrinking down the priorities of their program to just two: security, and competitiveness and green transition.
The straightforward Polish slogan ‘’Security, Europe!’’ is being replaced by the broader Danish one ‘’A strong Europe in a changing world’’. And even if the slogan has changed, many are the common factors between the two presidencies. Let’s explore their programs together.
General and Foreign Affairs
Both presidencies are focused on strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Europe, with particular emphasis on the Democracy Shield initiative. While both programs address the spread of disinformation and foreign interference, Poland was also promoting the institution of a EU Ethics Body to guarantee transparency and ethical standards within the institutions. Denmark, on the other hand, places greater emphasis on supporting Member States in upholding EU’s fundamental values.
The need to protect Europe’s democracy requires significant investment in defense and security and a stronger cooperation with NATO. Poland and Denmark agree on this point, but the current presidency is taking it a step further by explicitly supporting key initiatives – such as Niisto’s report, the ReArm Plan and the White Paper on Readiness 2030.
Another theme aligned in these first two areas – General Affairs and Foreign Affairs – of the Danish program is simplification. Following the Commission’s footsteps to reduce regulatory burdens on the European Agenda, the Presidency will focus on the Omnibus packages, especially the first one centered on sustainability. We will see how this will translate into the green transition in the next paragraphs.
Justice and Home Affairs
Denmark is joining Poland’s hard-line stance on migration which is also consistent with the Common European System for Returns as well as with its current domestic laws. Under the banner of protecting external borders, both presidencies aim to tackle irregular migration by cooperating with third countries using all available ways – such as visa or trade policies. to encourage the return of their nationals. Nonetheless, Denmark supports the Choose Europe initiative to attract international talents and supply the EU shortage occupations.
Online child sexual abuse is another issue receiving significant attention. Poland attempted to reach a common agreement among all States during its mandate, but struggled to strike a satisfactory balance between the need for surveillance and the protection of children. We will see if Denmark will succeed in the same goal.
Competitiveness, Environment and Agriculture
A resilient economy, founded on the Single Market and supported by a strong (and simplified) industrial policy was at the core of the competitiveness strategy of the Polish Presidency. Denmark made competitiveness its second priority, linking it to the green transition, while continuing the emphasis on simplification. As a result, a radical shift from the Polish presidency should not be expected. Although Denmark has been clear it is committed to the Green Deal, insisting that sustainability and competitiveness must go together, the green transition is perceived as an opportunity for innovation, filling the technological gap that Draghi’s report addressed last year.
Meanwhile Denmark is aligning itself with the UN environmental declarations and goals, its program does not include a specific strategy to tackle disinformation on environmental and climate issues as Poland did through its priorities. However, Denmark shows a commitment to promoting a more plant-based diet, aligning its domestic initiatives, such as the National plant-based food strategy and advocating for stronger environmental conditions on farm spending.
On Employment and Education we see different approaches from the two presidencies: while one side focused more on the silver transition and its challenges, the other focused more on productivity. More on this in the Member Newsletter of June.
Denmark is about to take the helm in a very different Union. Over the past six months, the Commission has launched numerous initiatives, and significant geopolitical events have unfolded, and the debate is still open.
Text: Greta Pelucco