Zagreb, 1 July 2025 (Hina/MIA) - Denmark assumed from Poland the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, during which it will focus on security, defense, migration, competitiveness and the green transition.

The slogan of the Danish eighth six-month presidency of the EU is "A Strong Europe in a Changing World."

Now more than ever, Europe must stand united. We must build an even stronger and safer Europe, one in which we can protect our democracies. We must arm Europe, and we must step up our support for Ukraine, said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen when presenting the presidency’s programme.

"The EU's strength lies in European unity, a solid economic foundation, stable democracies, and socially balanced societies, among other things. This strength must be developed further and used to promote and defend both European interests and the international legal order," reads the Danish program.

However, this unity may be tested by the end of the year, given the number of ongoing and potential crises, including the trade dispute between the EU and the United States, tensions between the US and China, Russia’s war against Ukraine, the war in Gaza, and Iran’s nuclear program.

When it comes to the economy, Denmark places particular emphasis on strengthening the internal market.

According to the International Monetary Fund, an increase in intra-EU trade of just 2.5% would offset potential losses should the United States impose 20% tariffs on EU goods.

In terms of security and defense, the goal of the Danish presidency is to lay the groundwork for the EU to become capable of independently defending itself by 2030. An agreement has already been reached on the SAFE credit program worth €150 billion.

The European Commission has proposed all member states increase their defense spending by 1.5% of GDP annually. Over half of the EU member states have decided to activate the escape clause from fiscal rules, which would allow defense investments to be excluded from the calculation of national budget deficits.

When it comes to the Multiannual Financial Framework, Denmark has changed its position. Until now, it had consistently aligned with countries like Germany and the Netherlands, which oppose any increase in the EU budget or joint borrowing.

However, in light of the current geopolitical circumstances, Denmark would no longer oppose such measures. Nevertheless, it acknowledges that reaching a consensus on this issue will be extremely challenging.