European Union

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Written by Eszter Balázs (Legislative Planning and Coordination Unit, Directorate-General for the Presidency).

INTRODUCTION

Denmark assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July and will hold the office until 31 December 2025. It took over from Poland and will hand the baton to Cyprus, the three countries forming a presidency trio.

State and government

The Kingdom of Denmark (Kongeriget Danmark) is a constitutional monarchy with a unicameral parliamentary system. The head of govenment is the prime minister and the head of state is the monarch.

The current head of government is Mette Fredriksen, in office since the general election of June 2019. The Prime Minister is the leader of the Social Democrats party (Socialdemokratiet) and she served previously as minister of employment and justice. Since her re-election in November 2022, she has been heading a coalition government with the conservative-liberal Left (Venstre) party and The Moderates (Moderaterne).

After parliamentary elections, the government is drawn from the ranks of the national assembly, Folketing (Folketinget). The cabinets tend to be coalitions of multiple parties, or single-party minority governments, as no single party has had an absolute majority (90 seats) in the Folketing since 1903. To pass laws, the prime minister – appointed by the monarch on the basis of consultations with representatives of the parties – must form alliances outside their own party.

The head of state is King Fredrik X, reigning since 14 January 2024. His duties are representative and ceremonial but the monarch formally exerts authority, for instance, by appointing and dismissing ministers, declaring the government and signing legislation into law.

Parliament

The Folketing is the unicameral national legslative body of the Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland). Its 179 members are elected for four-year terms: 135 directly in constituencies using the D’Hondt method, plus 40 leveling seats to ensure proportional representation at the national level. In addiiton, there are two seats for Greenland and two for the Faroe Islands. The election threshold is 2 % of the national vote.

At present, the following 12 parties have seats in the Folketing: the Social Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Denmark Democrats, the Green Left, the Liberal Alliance, the Moderates, the Conservative People’s Party, the Red-Green Alliance, the Danish People’s Party, the Social Liberal Party, the Alternative and the Citizens’ Party. In addition, the Inuit Ataqatigiit, the Siumut, the Sambandsflokkurin and the Javnaðarflokkurin hold the four seats for Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The next general elections in Denmark are to be held no later than October 2026.

European elections 2024

Voters in Denmark elected 15 out of the 720 Members of the European Parliament on 9 June 2024, with a 58.2 % turnout and the following results (in brackets, the change from the 2019 elections):

• SF – Green Left (SF – Socialistisk Folkeparti): 17.4 %, 3 MEPs, Greens/EFA (↑)
• Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet): 15.6 %, 3 MEPs, S&D (=)
• Venstre, Denmark’s Liberal Party (Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti): 14.7 %, 2 MEPs, Renew (↓)
• Conservative People’s Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti): 8.8 %, 1 MEP, EPP (=)
• Denmark Democrats (Danmarksdemokraterne – Inger Støjberg): 7.4 %, 1 MEP, NA (newcomer)
• Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre): 7.1 %, 1 MEP, Renew (↓)
• Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten – De Rød-Grønne): 7 %, 1 MEP, The Left (=)
• Liberal Alliance: 7 %, 1 MEP, EPP (newcomer)
• Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti): 6.4 %, 1 MEP, ID (=)
• Moderates (Moderaterne): 6 %, 1 MEP, Renew (newcomer)

State-of-play

Climate change and the environment feature high in the Danish public consciousness and on the political agenda, as also demonstrated by the results of the latest standard Eurobarometer survey. Danes think these should be among the most important issues of EU concerns, right after EU defence and security. Some 91 % of the population thinks Denmark has benefited from belonging to the European Union.

Both politicians and social partners are protective of the unique Danish labour market model, and are determined to protect it from EU regulation, including by going to court over the EU’s minimum wage directive.

Due to its opt-out from justice and home affairs, Denmark does not take part in EU migration and asylum policy, with the exception of the Dublin and Eurodac Regulations. Denmark also has an opt-out from the euro and uses the krone as its currency. It also used to have a defence opt-out, until June 2022 when a national referendum abolished it.

Greenland

Beyond metropolitan Denmark, the Kingdom of Denmark comprises two autonomous constituent countries in the Atlantic, neither of which are EU members: the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Greenland has Overseas Countries and Territories status. In addition, it has a number of agreements with the EU, such as the Fisheries Agreement, and it receives support under the current multiannual financial framework, and from the European Investment Bank and EU programmes, among others.

‘Preserving the territorial integrity in the Kingdom of Denmark, its sovereignty and inviolability of its borders is essential for all Member States. The European Union fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark’, said European Council President António Costa, in reaction to US President Donald Trump’s interest in the island.

Political priorities of the Danish Presidency

Under the slogan ‘A Strong Europe in a changing world’, the Danish Presidency has two overarching priorities: a secure Europe and a competitive and green Europe. The two goals appear in most of its sectoral priorities.

Defence. Denmark will work on improving the EU’s ability to defend itself and its democracies ‘by 2030 at the latest’. With a focus on European security, Denmark prioritises tasks such as curbing irregular migration, reinforcing external borders, strengthening EU resilience and deterrence, upholding European values and reducing risks to the economy.

Ukraine. As part of its security goals, Denmark seeks to ensure the EU’s political, economic, civilian, and military support to Ukraine. It proposes integration of the Ukrainian defence industry into the European one, to strengthen both. In addition, it wishes to support Ukraine in EU sectoral policies such as trade and transport. In parallel, the Presidency will work to maintain the toughest possible sanctions against Russia.

Enlargement. Denmark strives for significant progress in enlargement, especially with Ukraine, but also with Moldova and the Western Balkans.

Climate. The green transition can and should drive economic growth, and climate and energy policies should be closely linked to competitiveness policies, states the Danish Presidency, bringing the green transition onto an equal footing with competitiveness. With this in mind, it seeks to increase the share of, and improve access to, green energy.

Denmark has pledged to work to reach political agreement on an EU 2040 climate target (proposed in the Climate Law, out on 2 July) and derive from it the EU’s 2035 nationally determined contribution well before COP30 (10-21 November 2025), at an extraordinary Environment Council meeting on 18 September.

Economy. The Presidency aims to safeguard the effective implementation of EU fiscal rules and foster reforms in Member States, create the financial circumstances for European defence readiness, secure progress in the area of the single market, the savings and investment union as well as the capital markets union, and contribute to job creation.

Trade. Denmark will work to expand the EU’s network of trade agreements, and ratify the Mercosur and Mexico deals.

Budget. Given the annual institutional cycle, the draft general budget for 2026 will be negotiated between the Danish Presidency and the Parliament. In addition, the Presidency considers it a priority to start work on the next European long-term budget (to be presented in two parts on 16 July and 17 September) which it wishes to see focused, simple and effective in service of the evolving policy priorities of the EU. It will start negotiations on all the upcoming MFF-related sectoral legislative proposals and aims to deliver a first draft negotiating box to guide future negotiations. It, however, has not set itself the goal of reaching agreement in Council on own resources.

Legislative work

To strengthen Europe’s defence technological and industrial base, negotiations will continue on the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) when Denmark assumes the rotating presidency. As far as financing of ReArm Europe is concerned, both Parliament and Council still have to work on their initial positions.

Linking defence with energy, Denmark intends to arrive at a common position within the Council, then at an agreement with Parliament on the proposal to phase out Russian natural gas imports.

Addressing foreign interference, the Presidency is going to work on its stance on files in the defence of democracy package (including interest representation on behalf of third countries), in parallel with work in Parliament

In the area of trade, the Presidency seeks to conclude talks with Parliament on the generalised scheme of tariff preferences, agreement on which proved elusive under the Polish Presidency, and the screening of foreign investments.

Denmark has been advocating a stricter stance on migration while keeping channels open to recruit international labour in occupations with shortages. The Presidency will focus on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum while exploring how to break incentive structures behind irregular migration. It will work to find a Council position on the concept of safe third countries and on the Returns Directive. It will also start work on three files related to migrant smuggling by finding a Council position on the transport aspect, which has not moved in the Council since 2021; starting trilogues on preventing unauthorised entries, once Parliament is ready; and, finally, continuing trilogues on Europol’s role in migrant smuggling-related investigations.

The Council wants to press ahead with work on its side on the EU Digital Travel application, in parallel with Parliament’s work on its own position. It will continue trilogues on the EU Talent Pool and try to revive talks on the status of long-term residents.

To fight serious cross-border and organised crime, the Presidency will continue trilogue negotiations on combatting corruption and on the protection of victims of crime, both unresolved under the Polish Presidency. In the area of technology, the Presidency considers establishing the Council position on the regulation on the removal of child sexual abuse material from the Internet and continuing trilogues on the related directive on child sexual abuse to be among its priorities. The Commission is expected to present its proposal on the Firearms Trafficking Directive during the second half of 2025, therefore the Danish Presidency will take up the initial steps of establishing a general approach.

To ensure cooperation and protection in civil matters, the Presidency wants to start trilogues on harmonising insolvency law and on the protection of adults (both negotiating mandates subject to agreement of Parliament during the July plenary session).

It is the Danish Presidency’s ambition to close negotiations with Parliament on the simplification omnibus proposals on sustainability reporting and small mid-caps, and it will make steps forward with the rest of the legislative simplification files: relating to InvestEU, the common agricultural policy, defence, chemicals (to be presented on 2 July) and digital (towards the end of the year). The Council is ready to negotiate on sustainability and InvestEU, on which Parliament should establish its positions in October and July, respectively. Depending on the plenary’s adoption of amendments in July, the Danish Presidency might also need to negotiate with Parliament on the postponement of application of batteries due diligence.

As part of their drive for a more competitive Europe with a better functioning single market and capital markets union, the Danes will work to establish Council negotiating positions on the securitisation framework, the Capital Requirements Regulation, and on the files on the introduction of digital euro. The Presidency also wants to arrive at a Coucil position on the intellectual property-related files on supplementary protection certificates for medicianal and plant products on which Parliament has also not made progress. The Danes want to continue trilogues on the package to strengthen the protection of retail investors (RIS) and the future framework for financial data sharing (FiDA). The Presidency aims for agreement with Parliament on the Union Customs Code, long stalled in the Council before a last-minute agreement on a partial position reached during the Polish Presidency. Negotiations can now also kick off on the two files of the payment services package after an agreement in Council at the end of the Polish Presidency, as well as on the digital declaration on the posting of workers, once Parliament is ready. Finally, Denmark expects to work on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and the European Business Wallet proposals, to be presented during its tenure.

In the area of employment and social policy, the Presidency will start negotiations on the traineeship directive when Parliament is ready. If the Commission leaves the Equal Treatment Directive on the table 17 years after its introduction, the Presidency will seek the necessary unanimity in Council to adopt it.

Focusing on decreasing risk due to shortage of supply on the internal market, Denmark will work towards a Council general approach on critical medicinal products as Parliament establishes its own position. The Presidency considers finalising interinstitutional negotiations on the pharma package among its main tasks, too, and is ready to start work on a Tobacco Taxation Directive, should the Commission table a proposal.

In the field of transport, the Presidency wants to advance the Package Travel Directive and negotiations inside the Council. The Danes will also have to prepare for negotiations with the Parliament on air passenger rights on which the Council decided to adopt a first-reading position under the Polish Presidency, thus triggering negotiation deadlines. They will also start talks with Parliament on the related enforcement of passenger rights file as soon as Parliament is ready, in principle after the July plenary session.

The Danish Presidency will attempt to unblock in the Council the long-stalled file on the definition of maximum weights and dimensions for vehicles. Parliament has long been ready to start talks. The Presidency will work in parallel with Parliament on its positions on files in the Roadworthiness package. Trilogues can immediately start on accounting of greenhouse gas emissions of transport services, and the Presidency aims for an agreement with Parliament on the single European railway area. Importantly for the transport sector, the directive on energy taxation is one of the Danish priorities, on which, however, Parliament is only consulted.

The Presidency will start work onn the recently released EU Space Act.

In agriculture, the Presidency is ready to start talks on upcoming proposals on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy and EU Biotech Act. It intends to conclude trilogues on new genomic techniques and open them on forest reproductive materials, unfair cross-border trade practices and amendments to the Common Market Organisation when Parliament is ready. Trilogues can start right away on the welfare of cats and dogs. The Presidency will work on the Council position on plant reproductive materials, animal transport, and the role of farmers in the supply chain.

The Danish Presidency may also kick off interinstitutional talks once Parliament is ready with its position on fishing in the Mediterranean Area.

In environmental policy, the Presidency will focus on strengthening the circular economy by launching trilogues on end-of-life vehicles. It also intends to conclude negotiations with Parliament on forest monitoring, on the directive on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, once Parliament is ready. It is to take the initial steps in the Council on the upcoming proposals for the revision of the REACH Regulation and the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act.

In the digital arena, besides digital simplification, the Danish Presidency will start initial work inside the Council once the digital package, including the revision of the Cybersecurity Act is presented in the last quarter of the year. It is also ready to work towards a Council position on the Digital Networks Act, expected in December.

Other ongoing legislation

In addition to the files explicitly among Danish priorities, the Presidency might also work on a host of legislation on which trilogues are already under way under its fellow trio member Poland.

Denmark inherits ongoing trilogues on the list of substances in surface waters, and the coordination of social security systems. The fate of the Green Claims proposal is still unclear: the Polish Presidency cancelled trilogues saying that the situation no longer warrants negotiations after the Commission’s announcement to withdraw the proposal, then backtracked.

Talks may start on new rules for the wine sector and the passenger mobility package as soon as Parliament is ready, and, unless the July plenary session adopts these texts unchanged, the review of cohesion funds and on the European Social Fund+.

Denmark did not signal its ambition to continue with earlier unsuccessful efforts of Poland to make progress on files such as the Late Payment Directive, the European Deposit Insurance Scheme (EDIS), the Combined Transport Directive or the CO2 emissions of heavy-duty vehicles on which neither institutions have positions, or seasonal changes of time on which only Parliament is ready.

Programming of legislative priorities: Joint Declaration

Following the presentation of the Commission work programme for 2026, the Danish Presidency plans to reach an agreement with the Parliament on the shared legislative priorities for that year. The Joint Declaration 2026 would then be signed by the Presidents of the three institutions in December 2025.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Priority dossiers under the Danish EU Council Presidency‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

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